About The School

Click on the tabs above to find out about toddlers, kindergarten and lower school


The Lancaster Steiner School is inspired by the holistic picture of the human being given by Rudolf Steiner. This picture acknowledges that the child is a threefold being of body, soul and spirit and that this must be taken into account in education.

Every child is unique, and whilst comparison of ability can provide a superficial degree of consistency it is important to respect that which is different in each one. This is also true of the parents. As such we do not strive for hierarchy for the sake of it but rather seek to work together as equal members of the school community, in such a way that the unique contribution of each person can be acknowledged and respected. In this way we strive to be as inclusive as possible and encourage parental interest and involvement in the running of our school and in the development of our school community.

The Lancaster Steiner School is committed to the principle of life-long learning, with respect to the teachers, parents and friends and to learning for life, with respect to the children. We see life as a journey and education as a creative social force. As such education does not stop at the school gates, nor does it exclude the practicalities of everyday life. A creative education is a social force that equips the human being with the capacity and initiative to meet future challenges in a unique way.

We strive to meet the unique inner being of each and every child. As a result learning becomes an experience full of joy and wonder. If the child experiences that their needs are met and that they are listened to then school becomes a confidence-building place.

Physical activity is a key component of our education curriculum in which movement and the development of practical and artistic skills serves to complement and enhance the development of the thinking. In this respect outdoor work and activity complements the work done in the classroom.

Education is by example and continual assessment. There is less emphasis on competitive testing which, by its very nature, cannot acknowledge the unique abilities of each and every child. The true test is that the child will learn to love that which is beautiful and that which is true and will, out of a developed self-initiative, seek to find their own place and to make their own contribution in the world.

At Lancaster Steiner School our vision is to provide our children with a sound schooling experience as the foundation for life-long health and learning.  To realize this aim we draw upon the innovative approach and worldwide experience of Steiner Waldorf education, the fast growing established alternative to mainstream education.

Steiner education in Lancaster began when in 1990 a group of committed parents worked together to develop Rainbow Toddlers for 0-3 year olds.  Since then the project has grown, extending the education for children up to the age of 14 with the formation of Cherry Trees Kindergarten in 1994 (3-6yrs) and Lancaster Steiner School in 1998 (6-14yrs).  The school entered a new phase in its development when in late 2002 the Kindergarten and Lower School, previously located separately, moved in alongside one another in a renovated wooden church on Lune Road, Lancaster.

Steiner Education

Across the world Steiner Waldorf schools share a distinctive curriculum and teaching method.  Their establishment and growth began when Rudolf Steiner, Austrian philosopher and scientist, outlined an approach to the education of children and young people and advised on the formation of the first Steiner School in Stuttgart, Germany in 1919.  The indications he gave to the teachers for syllabus and pedagogy spring from an essentially holistic understanding of the nature and development of the human being.  Over 80 years this approach to the education of the child has proved itself to be fresh, positive and progressive, making valuable contributions in the field of educational research.

Some of the key characteristics of Steiner Education:

  • an approach that honours, protects and nurtures the essential nature of childhood, providing education in accord with the developmental needs of the children (formal education begins age 6 in line with mainstream practice in many European countries);
  • emphasis is placed on educating and nourishing the whole development of every child - intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual - by engaging their heads, hearts and hands;
  • delivers a broad based curriculum in which subjects are linked together and taught in the wider context through creative methods of teaching addressing many different aspects of intelligence and a child’s ability to learn ;
  • fosters co-operation and non-competitive learning by measuring each child against their own potential and not against one another;
  • strives to imbue pupils with social awareness and responsibility to respect the unique value of every individual and their environment as well as developing confidence in themselves and their abilities;
  • schools are learning communities of parents and teachers working co-operatively in support of children’s education;
  • in academic exams, higher education and employment opportunities, Steiner students compare favourably with their contemporaries in other schools; 
  • Steiner graduates are appreciated for their independent minds, flexible thinking, creativity and resourcefulness, and noted for their contributions to society and culture.

 

School Organisation

Steiner Schools are run cooperatively; the staff and parents work together sharing responsibilities for the good of the children and the school. 

The teachers manage the education and meet once a week to discuss and review their work and their educational requirements.  It is the role of the Management Group, made up of teachers, parents and friends of the school, to support and provide what the education needs in terms of resources, etc.  Subgroups, made up of volunteers, carry out specific work accountable to the management group.  All this is overseen by the Trustees (Council Members) an elected body that consists of parents and friends of the school with whom legal and financial responsibility rests.  The school administrator has the task of dealing with day-to-day administrative matters.

This cooperative way of working is often challenging as it engenders a sense of shared responsibility that can be demanding at times.  Such challenges embody our expectations of the pupils to accept responsibility for the ways in which they work together.  However, parents will tell you that the time and effort spent in such work and relationships is rewarding for themselves as well as for their child’s education and development.