In their seventh year the children take the big step from Kindergarten to School, moving into Class 1. Here they meet their class teacher who ideally will guide them through the next eight years until puberty (Class 8). Here too the children are introduced imaginatively for the first time to the principles of letter and number. As well as giving them a thorough grounding and development of the “3 Rs” (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic), the Class teacher will lead the children through fairy story, myths and legend, to history and ancient history; from home surroundings and local geography to world geography and astronomy; from nature and animal stories to the phenomenological study of the Sciences: Biology, Zoology, Physics and Chemistry.

The Class teacher’s work also involves the development of freehand Form and Symmetry Drawing and the use of instruments in Geometry. Music, Painting, Imaginative Drawing, Modelling, Games, Crafts and Handwork also form essential parts of the overall curriculum. For instance form drawing helps with the development of handwriting. All the core subjects are taught in rhythmically structured Main Lesson periods of 120 minutes. These lessons are the foundation of the school day and take place every morning for a period of 3 to 4 weeks. So that the Main Lesson changes subject and alternates throughout the school year, taking account of the rhythm and learning of the whole class.

Every day as part of the curriculum each class will take a number of subjects taught by specialist teachers. Specialist teachers are responsible for lessons in Eurythmy, (a new art of movement), Music and Modern Foreign Languages (French and German) and Gardening. The School also provides Speech Therapy and Special Needs Support.

As part of the school week, children are also encouraged to develop their sense of social responsibilities, and nurture their overall life skills. For instance children are taught in mixed ability groups in which the strengths of each child are focused for the benefit of the whole class. There are no formal examinations or tests in our school. We do not follow the National Curriculum but cover an equivalent curriculum working at our own pace and in carefully designed way (for further details on Steiner School movement and educational philosophy visit: www.steinerwaldorfeurope.org)