South Devon Steiner School - Blog | South Devon Steiner School

School Update - 19.3.2020

19/3/2020

Dear parents,

As you are aware, the UK is experiencing a significant rise in people infected by Covid 19. The Government, as part of its process to support the NHS and vulnerable people, has announced that …

‘Schools, colleges and early years settings  will be closed to everyone except children of key workers and vulnerable children from Monday, as part of the country’s ongoing response to coronavirus’.

This means that our school is now ‘closed until further notice’. At this point we do not know if we will be able to open our school for the summer term. We will keep you informed of all new developments. Please keep an eye on our website.

What does this mean for us?

The school may be closed, but our teachers and administrators are still working.

Lower School class teachers are preparing and sending work to parents for students to complete at home.
Upper School teachers are preparing lessons and supporting students online. We are very fortunate in that our students are able to do NZCSE Learning Outcomes in this manner. New Zealand has also been very supportive.

Kindergarten teachers are sending out resources for home education to parents and are available to give advice via email where needed.
Our administrators are preparing budgets, updating systems and will soon be able to send out our new financial agreements. We are also looking at how we can continue to support our staff and parents through this strange time.
We are continuing to look at ways to best support our teachers as they provide our education online, to ensure our pupils receive the best possible resources, and parents feel supported in delivering the material provided.

Do I have to continue paying school fees?

The short answer is yes. We are committed to paying our teachers and administrators and keeping the school alive. We are dependent on parents honouring their contracts. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, please contact Julie (julie.thomas@steiner-south-devon.org) as soon as possible.

I am a ‘Key Worker’ - What should I do?

What is a key worker? In essence, a key worker is a public sector worker who provides a key service that is helping deal with Covid 19. There is a good description at the following site: https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/who-classed-key-worker-uk-3962916 .

If you are a key worker that needs childcare, please contact Emma emma.brealey@steiner-south-devon.org . We would like to find a way to support you. This might mean connecting you to settings where childcare is provided.

In any crisis there are always ‘silver linings’. I have seen how our small community has bonded together in support of each other. People are shopping for those who self-isolating and teachers are working together, albeit it remotely. Spirits are high.

Thank you to all of you for keeping your eye on the horizon! We will get there.

With best regards,

Jeff

School Closed Until End of Easter Break

18/3/2020

Dear Students, Parents and Host Families,

It is with regret that I must inform you that our school will not reopen this coming Thursday 19th March 2020 as we had hoped.

The reasons for this are two-fold:

The new government advice is clear that whole households now need to isolate for 14 days if anyone in the household has a new, persistent cough and/or a high temperature. This inevitably leaves us with significant absence in both the student and staff population.
The number of staff needing to self isolate has developed to a point where we cannot remain fully open and guarantee student safety and supervision to the level we would wish.

We, SLT, considered every possible avenue for reopening the school on a skeleton staff basis, combining classes and reducing hours to provide an adequate provision. However, upon risk assessing this approach we found that we would not be able to do so without significant risk and compromise.

As such, we have taken the difficult decision to keep the school closed until the Easter holidays which commence next Friday 27th March 2020.

We will communicate again towards the end of the Easter holidays when we will once again take Government advice and complete our own risk assessment procedures before confirming whether the school is abe to re-open as normal. The situation is not one we can predict at this time.

In the meantime, our teachers will continue to send work home electronically for your children and can support you via the telephone as appropriate during normal school hours should you need it.

If you need to collect belongings and/or books from school, please do so THIS WEEK between the hours of 9am and 3pm, and certainly no later than 3pm on Saturday 21st March 2020. Please only enter the site if you are asymptomatic of the coronavirus COVID-19 and not under advice to self isolate.

I sincerely hope that you all stay healthy and well at this difficult time, and I apologise for any inconvenience caused. Our actions have the primary aim of keeping our entire community safe.

Yours sincerely,

Jeff van Zyl
Education Manager

Update on School Closure 16.3.2020

16/3/2020

Dear Parents,

Thank you for your understanding, goodwill and cooperation. This email will hopefully answer questions or concerns that you might have.

Before going any further it is important to state that at this point we do not have a confirmed case of COVID-19 in our school.

Why did we close?

The primary reason is that two of the children living in Hood Manor displayed symptoms associated with the Coronavirus (fever and cough) on Sunday. The children had moved through common areas within the building over the weekend. The family are now self-isolating and the health of the ill children is clearly improving. We decided to err on the side of caution to ensure the safety of the students, teachers and parents.
It important to also mention that our workforce is uniquely 'older' than the average school and a number of teachers are within the 'high risk’ category

What happened and what will happen?

The SLT and Trustees risk assessed the presenting situation throughout Sunday, taking advice from a medical professional and PHE. We decided that the safest course of action was to close the school for 3-5 days. Julie will be coordinating a thorough clean of necessary areas in Hood Manor. Our primary objective is to protect our extended community from the potential exposure to the virus.

You should hear from your class teachers / sponsors soon with work for your children to complete during the closure.

What should I do if I, or my child shows any symptoms?

You should self isolate immediately. Please inform us if you are self isolating. Please read through the information on our website, which provides guidance.

When will the school reopen?

We hope to reopen on Thursday. We will let you know if this will be possible on Wednesday.

As always, please keep an eye on your emails for updates.

Kindest regards,

Kaycee A Fordham
Senior Administrator

School Closure with Immediate Effect

15/3/2020

Dear parents, teachers and administrators,

Our school will be closed for three to five days (Monday the 16.3 - to potentially Friday 20.3) due to concerns around Covid 19.

We are now all experiencing the complexity of the Covid 19 pandemic. It is clear that the spread has exponentially increased. Our (Council and SLT) fundamental task is to work to ensure that we keep all members of our school community as safe as is possible in these uncertain times.

Our current state:

There is a significant risk that the virus is currently on site (in the buildings). We believe that we would be irresponsible to expose our staff and students, and therefore also parents, to this risk.
We will need to do a deep clean of affected buildings over three days.
There are a growing number of staff and families showing symptoms, which means that they need to self-isolate.

Our next steps:

We will close the school for three to five days. This will allow us to take and implement advice on how to reestablish a safe working environment for students and teachers.
We will communicate with all parents via the class contacts and website.
Teachers will communicate with individual classes via class contacts.
We will explore how we can run the school safely with fewer teachers (due to self isolation).

A request from myself: Please can we work together. I understand that this will prove difficult for a number of parents. Please communicate with Julie or myself - I am more than happy to answer questions and support where possible.

With best regards,

Jeff

Coronavirus COVID-19 Update 15.3.20

15/3/2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) News

You can find the latest information and advice about Coronavirus (COVID-19) from the Government here.
The page will be updated at 2pm daily.

Update 15.3.2020

Symptoms
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

new continuous cough and/or
high temperature

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection

Main messages

if you have symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, do not leave your home for 7 days from when your symptoms started. (See ending isolation section below for more information)
this action will help protect others in your community while you are infectious
plan ahead and ask others for help to ensure that you can successfully stay at home
ask your employer, friends and family to help you get the things you need to stay at home
stay at least 2 metres (about 3 steps) away from other people in your home if possible
sleep alone, if possible
wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water, or use hand sanitiser
stay away from vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, as much as possible
you do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days, contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999

Who this guidance is for

This advice is intended for people with symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), including those with a diagnosis of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, who must remain at home until they are well.

Further advice on self isolation

If you find that you need to self isolate, please follow the Government advice on how to minimise the potential spread of infection to others.

Importance of self isolation

The Government has issued important advice around the importance of self isolation if you, or a member of your household develop symptoms of Coronavirus COVID-19, however mild.

The importance of hygiene 

Personal hygiene is the most important way we can tackle COVID-19, especially washing hands more; and the catch it, bin it, kill it strategy for those with coughs and sneezes.

How to wash your hands properly
Wash your hands more often for 20 seconds with soap and hot water.

Watch this short NHS film for guidance:

https://youtu.be/bQCP7waTRWU

Teach young children how to wash their hands with the NHS handwashing song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9VjeIWLnEg

Public Health England recommends that in addition to handwashing before eating, and after coughing and sneezing, everyone should also wash hands after using toilets and travelling on public transport.

Department for Education coronavirus helpline

The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk

Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

Where to find the latest information

Updates on COVID-19:

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Guidance for educational settings:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

Travel advice for those travelling and living overseas:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus

Educational resources:

Latest Department for Education information:

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

3/3/2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) website page
In order to keep you informed of the unfolding Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and how it affects our school, we have created a 'Coronavirus (COVID-19)' page on our website, which is accessible via a link under the 'News' section of the homepage, and also under the 'More' dropdown menu.

We are receiving regular updates from the Department for Education and Public Health England. These will be shared on the school website on the new 'Coronavirus (COVID-19)' page. We will also use this page to inform parents of any changes to normal school rhythms related to Coronavirus (COVID-19), such as a need to close temporarily.

As the situation is rapidly changing with five schools in Devon already closed (2/3/20), it may be prudent to check the website each day before travelling to school.

Planned procedure for school closure
In the event of school closure, we will post this on the website before 7.30am. We will also send an email informing you and place a notice of closure on the school gates. All communication will then take place via email so please ensure we have your correct contact details. From the point of closure, there would be no access to the site until it is considered safe to re-open the school.

Preventative Measures
We would like to draw your attention to the preventative measures, section 5 Covid-19, Gov guidance.

"There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus".

Public Health England (PHE) recommends that the following general cold and flu precautions are taken to help prevent people from catching and spreading COVID-19:

cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze. See Catch it, Bin it, Kill it
put used tissues in the bin straight away
wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available. See hand washing guidance
try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

If you are worried about symptoms, please call NHS 111. Do not go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment.

We thank you in advance for your kind cooperation and assistance.

H&S Team

Happy 100th birthday Steiner education

20/9/2019

A happy community came together yesterday (19 September) to celebrate the momentous occasion of the 100th anniversary of Steiner education!

And special guest, the Mayor of Totnes, Jacqui Hodgson, and her husband, Consort Richard, also came along to join in the festivities.

Thank you to Rob Carney, John Platt and Tom Parker for holding the event, and special thanks to parents, Becci Erickson and Alexander Gifford for their presentations. Music was beautifully performed by Oliver on Cello.

On this momentous occasion, it’s worth reflecting on why we have all chosen Waldorf education for our children (as parents, and as teachers). Here follows a snippet of the official press release that will be released today:

The Steiner movement is the most successful alternative educational movement on the planet with over 3000 schools and kindergartens in nearly 90 countries worldwide.

It is based upon a holistic understanding of the development of the child and young person, with a strong emphasis on craft, artistic activity and self-expression, combined with a rigorous academic approach that encourages independent and flexible thinking.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate our global, educational vision.” said Tom Parker, a senior teacher at the school.

“In a world where young people will grow up to face considerable social, economical and environmental challenges, they need to be far more adaptable and resilient.

Having useful skills and a store of knowledge, although important, is not enough. Young people need to be sure of who they are and have confidence to apply their own ideas and approaches to life.

When young people are able to think their own thoughts, these new ideas will bring the positive change that the world needs, as well as allowing them to create their own unique and fulfilling path through life.”

As part of the celebrations, Alexander Gifford, a parent at the school, gave a talk on the founding of the first Steiner school, one hundred years ago.

“It was very much a response to the devastation of World War One,” he says. “The burning question for many people was: how can we educate our children in a new way so that this will never happen again?

Rudolf Steiner, a respected philosopher and pedagogue, proposed some impressive answers and pretty quickly there were schools, based on his ideas, springing up all over Europe.

The first one was in the Waldorf Astoria Cigarette Factory in Stuttgart, which is why Steiner schools are also called Waldorf schools.

Their goal is to create confident, responsible young people, who will want to contribute to building a better world and not just fit themselves into the social status quo.”

The South Devon Steiner School is itself celebrating its 40th anniversary this year; and so the celebrations on the 19th were also an opportunity for the school to mark an important, personal milestone.

“We’ve hit middle-age” says John Platt, an ex-teacher at the school, “and with that comes a feeling of being grounded and established. At the same time, we are constantly evolving and finding new ways to adapt our curriculum and practice to make it more relevant and meaningful for children here and now.”

Bundle McLaren, a current parent of the school, gave this picture:

“I was on the beach with my children and some friends from the school last autumn. The children were looking at the rocks and seaweed together in a way that struck a passer-by as being impressively curious and collaborative.

He said to his friends: “They must be from the South Devon Steiner School” – which shows how well-known for the right reasons we are.”

Waldorf 100 - a perspective from a graduate student

18/9/2019

On the eve of the centenary celebrations of the Waldorf movement, one of South Devon Steiner College’s pioneering graduates walks the catwalk of an award-winning design-duo at London Fashion Week.

Francesca Drewell (19) joined eco-fabric designers, Vin and Omi, as an intern for a week as part of her Art Foundation Course at Oxford Brookes, and was quickly asked to join the models to showcase their Nettle collection, in collaboration with Prince Charles.

Those who know her would fondly describe her as down-to-earth and with a passion for back-stage theatre and costume design. They would also mention that, given half a chance, she would be barefoot and baking cakes - hardly the type to mingle with high-brow celebs and wearing high fashion.

So, when the opportunity came to join the models in presenting the revolutionary eco-fabric made by Vin and Omi from High Grove nettles (yes, nettles from Prince Charle’s Estate), she shocked herself by agreeing.

As part of our ‘Focus on Waldorf 100’, Francesca answered two questions that’s we have been asking of parents (check out our Facebook Page to see the interviews). Waldorf 100 will be celebrated by Waldorf schools around the world tomorrow, 19 September.

Q: What has Waldorf Steiner education meant to you?

A: I don’t really have any experience of any other types of schooling system because I started at Steiner when I was two years old in a Steiner playgroup in South Africa. However, now that I’m out of the system, I can sense that my outlook on education and world is quite different from other students in my current course in Oxford. I feel I have a broader perspective and more commitment than a lot of other students I have come across - probably brought about things like our extensive school trips, and maybe our more independent learning, and broader curriculum.

Q : What is the one thing that Waldorf Steiner education has given you?

Creativity. This helps because it has given me adaptability and confidence to try as many things as I can. As one of the interns on the collection, I was able to do a wider range of tasks, obviously with things like sewing and knitting because we learn these things at Steiner, but I was also more committed to working and finishing. I think this comes from the structure of lessons at Steiner, starting in class one where we do Main Lessons (blocks of a subject) where you are able to explore topics in-depth. This could be part of it.

Tribute to Kindergarten (parent submission)

8/9/2019

As our 13 years as a parent in the early years comes to an end, I would very much like to thank the wonderful teachers that set us on this amazing journey.

Starting with the wonderful and wise Barbara, Wendy and Christine. Your deep understanding and support of my children have informed my parenting.

You were as much our teachers as our children.

Anja, Orsi, Kirstie(and of course Anne keeping an eye from next door!) and now finishing with the very special Rowena.

It has been an amazing childhood in the kindergarten.A haven from our busy modern lives.

Thank you for your kindness and deep connection to the children.
With much gratitude.

Michaela O’Sullivan & Andrew Venning

Class Eight welcomes Class One

6/9/2019

The first day of school marks a major milestone for any child.

At South Devon Steiner School, children starting Class One are matched to a student in Class 8, who welcomes them with a flower, and takes care of them at break time for the first two weeks.

The giving of the flower is a wonderful tradition, exercised in many Steiner schools around the world.

It becomes even more poignant when four years later the roles are reversed, and the then Class 4 student hands a flower to the then Class 12 student as they finish school and start their end their school career and head out in the adult world.

<<Previous

This is our school blog

Contributions to our website are gladly accepted. Please email stories, photographs or news to admissions@south-devon-steiner.org.

Did you know?

You can hire classrooms, our kitchen, outdoor spaces and Greenwood Hall ! Click here to find out more.

Venue Hire Info

Join our school?

We welcome all enquiries and applications. Please contact Kaycee on admissions@steiner-south-devon.org or call +44 (0)1803 897 377 to arrange a visit or to answer any questions.

Admissions Info

Learn English?

Overseas Students Info