July, '19
July 30, 2019
WORD GETTING OUT
ABOUT STEINER SCHOOLS
Waldorf schools in the United Kingdom — they are usually called Steiner schools there — are reeling. Inspectors have found serious problems in many of these schools, and they have concluded that the great majority of inspected Steiner schools in the UK are subpar. These finding have had tangible effects. Two Steiner schools have shut down, and others are now in peril. [1]
The drama has been intense — but it has gone largely unnoticed. News in the UK has been dominated by Brexit, the fall of a prime minister, and the elevation of a new prime minister. Most people have had little attention to spare for the plight of a fringe form of education.
But major media have occasionally put out stories about the Steiner crisis. A case in point: The Daily Mail, a newspaper with an enormous circulation [2], published the following report recently:
More than 75 per cent of
Steiner schools across the UK
are failing to provide a decent education,
Ofsted inspectors announce
By Eleanor Harding
Three quarters of Steiner schools across England are not providing a decent education, Ofsted [3] announced yesterday.
The watchdog [4] this year launched a crackdown on [Steiner] schools...
[F]ollowing inspections of 26 Steiner schools — 22 private and four state-run [5] — Ofsted found ‘serious issues’ in some.
Although six were rated good [6], 13 were judged as ‘inadequate’ [7] and seven were judged to ‘require improvement’ [8].
In total, 77 per cent of Steiner schools have been judged to be less than good, compared with just 15 per cent of state-funded schools [9].
Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector of schools...highlighted concerns over safeguarding practices [10], provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) [11] and the quality of education [12] and leadership [13].
A third of Steiner schools inspected had ‘ineffective safeguarding’, and the issues were ‘serious’...
Fewer than a third of the inspected [Steiner] schools were judged to have good teaching, learning and assessment [14]....
[7/30/2019 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7274795/More-75-cent-Steiner-schools-UK-failing-provide-decent-education.html This article originally appeared on July 22, and it was subsequently updated.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] See "The Steiner School Crisis".
[2] The Daily Mail has the second-largest circulation (approximately 1.2 million) of all newspapers in the UK, second only to The Sun.
[3] Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education. Part of the UK government's Office of Education, Ofsted inspects various types of schools in the UK.
[4] I.e., the watchdog agency (Ofsted).
[5] Most Steiner schools in the UK operate outside the state or public school system, but four are "free schools" — what, in the USA, are called charter schools. These schools follow their own curricula, but the state pays the tuition fees for the students.
[6] A school is rated "Good" if it meets Ofsted's standards and has no serious shortcomings. "Good" is the second-highest Ofsted rating (equivalent to a "B"). The highest rating — indicating a school is excellent — is "Outstanding" (equivalent to an "A"). Ofsted has not found any Steiner school to merit the highest rating.
[7] "Inadequate" is a failing grade (equivalent to an "F) — it indicates that a school has serious shortcomings.
[8] "Requires Improvement" is a low passing grade (equivalent to a D or C-) — it indicates that a school is below average.
[9] The wording, here, is imprecise. Technically, the four Steiner free schools are "state-funded schools." The article means to say that only 15 percent of ordinary public schools in the UK have been judged to be less than good, whereas more than three-quarters (77 percent) of inspected Steiner schools have been judged to be less than good.
[10] I.e., measures taken to ensure the safety of the students.
[11] I.e., measures taken to accommodate students who have learning disabilities or other handicaps.
[12] This, surely, is the central criterion. Does a school give its students a good education or not? Inspectors have concluded that most of the inspected Steiner schools do not.
[13] I.e., school management.
[14] "Assessment" refers to efforts made to determine whether students are benefiting from their schooling. Inspectors have found that most inspected Steiner schools have poor teaching; students evidently do not learn as much as they should; and the schools make insufficient efforts to gauge how well teachers and students are doing.
— R.R.
July 29, 2019
◊ News Briefs ◊
1.
From NBC News 10 [Southeast New England, USA]:
A year after devastating fire,
Meadowbrook Waldorf School looks to future
One year ago Monday, a school in Richmond burned to the ground [1].
Firefighters from throughout South County were called to the Meadowbrook Waldorf School [2].
Officials believe the fire was sparked by lightning.
Classes are being held at the former South Road School in South Kingstown while the Meadowbrook campus is rebuilt.
School officials said they hope the building will be completed by next year.
[7/29/2019 https://turnto10.com/news/local/a-year-after-devastating-fire-meadowbrook-waldorf-school-looks-to-future.]
2.
From Wicked Local Beverly [Beverly, Massachusetts, USA]:
Homeschool program launched at
Waldorf School at Moraine Farm in Beverly
Waldorf School at Moraine Farm [3] has announced the launch of a new homeschool program [4]. Offering on-campus classes to home schooled children in grades 1-8, the program is offered Tuesdays and/or Thursdays from 10:35 a.m. to 12:10 p.m...
Courses offered span a range of topics and include Cyber Civics, Fine Arts, Handwork, Outdoor Science in Nature, Spanish, German, Strings/Music, and Theater. All courses are taught by Waldorf School at Moraine Farm faculty.
The cost for an eight-week session is $250 and includes all materials needed for the course....
3.
From Newsport [Port Douglas, Austalia]:
STEINER INFORMATION SESSION
GIVES NEW EDUCATION INSIGHTS
The newest education option for families in the Douglas Shire [5] will be hosting an information session this Wednesday to drum up interest in the new school.
The Tropical North Steiner School [6] will open its doors to students in 2020 if enrollment numbers can support the funding for a teacher.
Director and pioneer of the school, Julie Verri, said the information session on Wednesday would give Douglas Shire residents a chance to find out more about the new school...
The school is aiming to begin with Prep to Class three next year with a view of growing naturally each year to Class six [7]....
[7/29/2019 https://www.newsport.com.au/2019/july/steiner-information-session-gives-new-education-insights/.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] See "No Injuries at Waldorf School Destroyed by Fire", July 30, 2018.
[2] See https://www.meadowbrookschool.com. The school's campus is in Wakefield, Rhode Island.
[3] See https://waldorfmoraine.org. The school is located northeast of Boston, Massachusetts.
[4] Waldorf homeschooling is a fairly recent phenomenon. Oak Meadow is one source offering Waldorf homeschooling materials.
The new program at Waldorf School at Moraine Farm is designed to supplement the efforts of parents and others who undertake to educate children at home — the children would be brought to the school for occasional on-campus classroom experiences led by Waldorf faculty. In Waldorf pedagogy, the teacher exercises enormous authority; s/he is, Steiner asserted, the earthly emissary of the gods. [See "Here's the Answer".] Homeschooling — which usually eliminates involvement by professional teachers — runs contrary to long-established, hallowed Waldorf practice. Programs such as the one described here would re-establish involvement by trained Waldorf teachers. Thereby, it might help assure that Waldorf goals (fundamentally, the promotion of Anthroposophy) remain central in the educational process.
[5] In Australia, a "shire" is a rural local government. Douglas Shire is located in northern Queensland, Australia.
[6] See https://www.tropicalnorthsteiner.org.
[7] This is how Waldorf or Steiner schools often are established: very small, with an eye to growing year by year as the first group of students ages.
"Prep" is the initial year of schooling — essentially, it is pre-schooling, intended to prepare students for entry into the first grade (class one).
The planned Tropical North Steiner School exists, at this stage, only as an idea. The current goal is to hire the first teacher who would teach all subjects to all of the prospective students.
— R.R.
July 26, 2019
STEINER VS. OFSTED -
LETTER WRITERS CLASH
An official schools inspection agency in the United Kingdom (UK) — the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) — has found the great majority of inspected Steiner schools in the UK to be doing a poor job. [1] Critics of Steiner schools are now suggesting that these schools probably should be closed. Defenders of Steiner schools argue that, to the contrary, Ofsted should be abolished.
Letters are appearing in UK newspapers and online, taking both sides of the debate. Here are samples.
1.
CHANGE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE !!
An Open Letter to Amanda Spielman (head of Ofsted), and to Steiner Schools Recently Rated ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted
Dear Ms Spielman,
We are writing as educationalists to express our grave concerns about recent Ofsted decisions to grade a number of England’s Steiner schools as “Inadequate”. The high-stakes grading system which you use is not only unfair on those schools; it is in general inconsistent, unreliable, and lacks any sense of objectivity...
First and foremost, there are several Steiner schools where the level of parental satisfaction with their school is measured at approaching an extraordinary 100 per cent, and yet which Ofsted has deemed to be “Inadequate” [2]...
Secondly, can you please tell us how much inspectors knew about the Steiner ethos, and its many differences from mainstream Gradgrind education [3], before they were unleashed on these schools?...
Thirdly, what confidence can anyone have in the reliability of an inspection system whereby a nursery was deemed “Good” on re-inspection three months after a previous “Inadequate” grading, even though nothing had changed? [4]...
Fourthly, many have commented on how unrealistic it is for a two-day visit, spot-checking just certain classes, to be considered representative of a whole school...
Given the highly problematic nature of the Ofsted grading system and its questionable validity...the whole approach to inspection evaluation and judgement needs root-and-branch transformation...
In our view, as Ofsted seems incapable of significantly changing its regime and approach, the only realistic way to reverse the malaise is to replace Ofsted with a supportive inspectorate that empowers, rather than punishes, bullies and publicly humiliates....
[By Richard House, Richard Brinton, Rowan Williams, and other signatories https://m.facebook.com/notes/a-path-of-discovery-waldorf-for-everyone/change-before-it-is-too-late-/1353949554761398/ July 13, 2019.] [5]
2.
YOUR LETTERS:
Steiner Schools must change,
if not they will close
Richard Brinton (letters July 17th) calls for Ofsted to be changed or abolished following a very critical inspection of a local Steiner school.
Whilst I certainly do not think Ofsted is above criticism this seems to be a blatant case of shooting the messenger because you don’t like the message.
His response typifies the arrogance of many who promote Steiner education believing it to be beyond judgement according to the standards expected of all schools [6].
Since it is inconceivable to them that the schools are indeed failing it must be the inspection process which is at fault. This despite the fact that the failings found in Steiner schools, which have led to some closing, are so consistent as to suggest a failing in the underlying pedagogy [7]...
[I]t is the Steiner schools themselves which must change and if they will not they must close.
[By Jim Watson https://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/news/17794332.letters-steiner-schools-must-change-not-will-close/ July 25, 2019]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] See, e.g., "The Steiner School Crisis".
[2] Of course, whether parents like a school may be a different question from whether the school is actually educating children well.
[3] This is a reference to Thomas Gradgrind, a numbers-crunching, hardhearted school superintendent in Charles Dickens' novel HARD TIMES.
[4] This example does not concern a Steiner school, the writers say.
[5] For previous coverage concerning this letter, see "Harsh Inspections Called Unfair", July 3, 2019.
[6] Labeling opponents "arrogant" is an ad hominem attack that, like all ad hominems, is unhelpful. By contrast, Mr. Watson is correct to say that many Steiner proponents deny the applicability of ordinary standards to Steiner schools. Thus in the letter from Richard House, et al, we find this: "Steiner schools have a fundamentally different ethos and pedagogy from mainstream schooling, the subtlety and depth of which Ofsted’s managerialist bean-counter approach is distinctly ill-equipped to comprehend, let alone assess in an informed way."
[7] This is the key issue raised by Amanda Spielman: whether there are systemic failings in the Steiner system that may be present, to varying degrees, in all Steiner schools. [See, e.g., "Ofsted May Seek Systemic Steiner Flaws", January 31, 2019.]
— R.R.
July 24, 2019
CHIEF EDUCATION INSPECTOR
PANS STEINER SCHOOLS - II
Here is a follow-up to yesterday's coverage of the Steiner school crisis in the United Kingdom (UK). Yesterday we looked at a report in a British general-interest newspaper, The Telegraph. Today we will consider an article in a British magazine that focuses on education issues.
From TES [formerly the Times Educational Supplement; London, England]:
Spielman brands majority
of Steiner schools 'very weak'
By Catherine Lough
Ofsted [1] chief inspector Amanda Spielman has expressed concerns over the quality of education provided at Steiner schools, after 77 per cent of the schools were rated less than good [2] by Ofsted in the 2018-19 academic year.
In a letter to education secretary Damian Hinds, Ms Spielman described the inspection results for both independent and state-funded Steiner schools as “very weak”...
Ms Spielman said that “the performance [3] of Steiner schools overall remains poor”. She also raised concerns over the ineffective safeguarding [4] procedures identified in many of the schools by inspectors.
Ofsted found that over a third of Steiner schools had ineffective safeguarding ...
Ms Spielman said teaching and learning were of poor quality in the majority of [Steiner] schools inspected, with fewer than a third of schools judged as good in this area. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and disability [5] was also found to be weak in many schools...
Steiner schools have consistently received poor inspection grades from Ofsted.
In June, Beechtree Steiner Initiative, in Leeds, and the Brighton Waldorf School were given notices to improve after inspections found they had serious regulatory failings.
And in July, York Steiner School, a private school for three- to 14-year-olds, was rated “inadequate” by Ofsted when its curriculum was found to be too narrow to allow pupils to develop sufficient knowledge and skills. [6]
Earlier this month, Steiner supporters called for Ofsted to be scrapped [7]...
In [her] letter, Ms Spielman said that “several [Steiner] schools had recognised their leadership issues [8] and have begun to tackle their problems.”
“We can see that some schools want to improve, which is welcome news [9]. However, the desire for change has to be accompanied by the capacity and capability to do so,” she said....
[7/24/2019 https://www.tes.com/news/spielman-brands-majority-steiner-schools-very-weak This article originally appeared on July 22.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] Ofsted is the UK government's Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, or (abbreviated) the Office for Standards in Education. [See https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.]
[2] Ofsted rates a school "Good" when that school meets Ofsted's standards adequately (this rating is equivalent to a grade of B). A rating of "Outstanding" is awarded to schools that excel (this rating is equivalent to a grade of A). In the recent Ofsted inspections, about a quarter of the Steiner schools (23%) were considered "Good"." None were considered "Outstanding".
Hence more than three-quarters (77%) of the Steiner schools were rated less than "Good."
According to the article in The Telegraph, seven of 26 Steiner schools inspected were rated "Needs Improvement," meaning they barely provide an adequate education (this rating is equivalent to a D or a low C). Thirteen on the 26 schools were rated "Inadequate," meaning they are failing as educational institutions (this rating is equivalent to an F).
Ofsted rates schools according to their performance in six areas:
1. Effectiveness of leadership and management
2. Quality of teaching, learning and assessment
3. Personal development, behavior and welfare
4. Outcomes for pupils
5. Early years provision [i.e., provisions for the youngest students]
6. Sixth form provision [i.e., provisions for the most senior students]
An “overall effectiveness” rating is then given, based on assessments in the six areas.
[3] "Performance" is chiefly a matter of the quality of teaching provided by a school and the outcomes for the students (how much they learned).
[4] "Safeguarding" is protection of students — ensuring the children's safety.
[5] I.e., the quality of special education services provided to students facing the greatest challenges. In the UK, "special educational needs and disability" is often denoted by the acronym SEND.
[6] The schools in Leeds, Brighton, and York are only a few of the Steiner schools inspected and rated recently. [See, e.g., "A Site Returns and Tots Up the Damage", May 26, 2019.]
[7] See "Harsh Inspections Called Unfair", July 3, 2019.
[8] "Leadership" has to do, chiefly, with school management. Ofsted inspectors have found that Steiner schools are, in general, poorly managed.
[9] Leaders of some Steiner schools accept that their schools have shortcomings. They are attempting to cooperate with Ofsted or at least make gestures in that direction. On the other hand, some Steiner leaders and their supporters have taken an adversarial stance, as in the effort being mounted to make Ofsted — not Steiner schools — the issue. (Rather than changing their schools, these Steiner proponents want to abolish Ofsted.)
In general, inspectors have found that Steiner schools fail in almost every conceivable way, ranging from teaching to management to the protection of students.
For a broad review of the current mess in UK Steiner schools, see "The Steiner School Crisis".
— R.R.
July 23, 2019
CHIEF ED INSPECTOR
PANS STEINER SCHOOLS
Steiner schools in the United Kingdom (UK) have been in crisis for some time now. [1] Official inspectors have found numerous deficiencies in many of these schools, ranging from poor teaching to inadequate protection of the students. Now the head of the official inspection agency is waving a red flag: Steiner schools in the UK are, by and large, failing their students.
From The Telegraph [London, England]:
Ofsted chief warns over Steiner schools
as she reveals that three quarters failed inspection
By Camilla Turner
The head of Ofsted [2] has issued a warning over Steiner schools after more than three quarters failed their inspection.
Amanda Spielman revealed that of the 26 Steiner schools that have been inspected by Ofsted over the past year, 13 were branded “inadequate” [3] and seven were rated as “requires improvement” [4].
In a letter to the Education Secretary [5], Ms Spielman said: “The performance of Steiner schools overall remains poor, and there are areas of weakness that need to be addressed.
“Most worryingly, inspectors found that a significant minority of the schools had ineffective safeguarding practices [6], and I continue to be concerned about the provision for pupils with SEND [7], about quality of education more generally [8] and about leadership [9].”
All but four of the Steiner schools in England are private, meaning they must adhere to independent school standards. But Ms Spielman revealed that 15 of the 22 fee-paying schools [10] failed to meet these standards...
Two private Steiner schools have closed down in the past year [11], while three of the four Steiner state-funded academies [12] are in the process of being taken over by multi-academy trusts [13].
Ms Spielman added that inspectors did find some “encouraging signs of good practise and change” in some schools....
[7/23/2019 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2019/07/22/ofsted-chief-warns-steiner-schools-reveals-three-quarters-failed/ This article originally appeared on July 22.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] See "Steiner School Crisis". Steiner schools are also sometimes called Steiner-Waldorf schools or, simply, Waldorf schools.
[2] Ofsted is the UK government's Office for Standards in Education.
[3] "Inadequate" is the lowest evaluation issued by Ofsted; it is a failing grade.
[4] The Education Secretary is the head of the Department of Education, a section of the UK government.
[5] "Requires Improvement" is the next-lowest evaluation issued by Ofsted; it is a very low passing grade (approximately equivalent to a D).
[6] The term "safeguarding," as used in UK schools, is the protection of children — it consists of practices and policies meant to ensure the safety of students.
[7] "SEND" stands for "special education needs and disabilities." Inadequate "provision for pupils with SEND" means a school fails to provide adequately for its most challenged students.
[8] "Quality of education more generally" has to do, chiefly, with teaching. Ofsted inspectors have found that the teaching in Steiner schools is often poor.
[9] "Leadership" has to do, chiefly, with management. Ofsted inspectors have found that Steiner schools are, in general, poorly managed.
(In summary, inspectors have found that Steiner schools fail in almost every conceivable way, ranging from teaching to management to the protection of students.)
[10] "Fee-paying" schools are private schools — the families of the students must pay fees in order for their children to attend.
[11] These are Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley [see "RSSKL"] and Michael House School [see "Another Steiner School Will Close Its Doors", March 6, 2019.]
[12] These are the Steiner academies in Bristol, Exeter, and Frome. [See "Three of Four Steiner Academies Turn to a Hindu Trust", June 19, 2019.] "Academies" are schools that operate within the public school system while implementing their own curricula and methods (much as charter schools do in the USA). Fees are paid by the government rather than by the families of the students.
[13] Multi-academy trusts are educational organizations that operate two or more schools under a single board of trustees. The danger for a Steiner school that enters such a trust is that the faculty may lose control — the trust may enforce policies that run counter to Steiner methods and objectives. [See, e.g., "Steiner Schools a Poor Fit in Hindu-Centric Trust?", July 11, 2019.]
— R.R.
July 18, 2019
SOULS, SEALS,
AND STEINER
Astrology looms large in Rudolf Steiner's teachings — and, thus, in the doctrines that underlie Waldorf education.
Here is a new book currently featured on the SteinerBooks website (the description was provided by the publisher, Temple Lodge Publishing):
[Temple Lodge Publishing, 2019]
The Seat of the Soul
Rudolf Steiner’s Seven Planetary Seals
by Yvan Rioux
How are the internal and external forms of the human organism shaped? How does human consciousness emerge? These are questions that conventional science cannot answers [sic].
In The Seat of the Soul, Yvan Rioux invites us to consider new concepts that explain these phenomena. His exposition is based on the existence of external “formative forces” — morphic fields — that, he asserts, create the human body or organism in conjunction with forces that resonate within us from the living solar system...
In his previous book The Mystery of Emerging Form, Rioux explored the formative forces of the twelve zodiacal constellations. In this absorbing sequel, he investigates how such activity from the planetary spheres works within us ... In seven chapters, he explores the impact of each of these planetary spheres ... Rioux also describes, from a biological perspective, Rudolf Steiner’s seven “planetary seals.” According to Steiner, these seals are “...occult scripts, meaning that, as hidden signatures, they show their ongoing etheric impacts on the seven stages of our metabolism”....
[https://steiner.presswarehouse.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=672515]
Like Rudolf Steiner, Yvan Rioux clings to the ancient belief that there are seven planets in our solar system (among which he, like Steiner, counts the Sun and the Moon). Modern science tells us there are actually eight planets in the solar system (or nine if you count Pluto) — and neither the Sun nor the Moon is counted as a planet.
The "sphere" of a planet, Steiner and Rioux affirm, is the region of space dominated by a particular planet. Each of the planets, or its "sphere," has astrological impact on us, Steiner and Rioux indicate: Each has powers that it sends down, affecting our development and the pattern of our lives.
In a word, this is astrology. Astrology runs like a refrain throughout Anthroposophical discourse. [1] Steiner sought to distance himself from ordinary astrology; he rejected the notion that the stars and planets absolutely control us, depriving us of free will. But he affirmed what he called "genuine" astrology, which is essentially astrology as conceived by himself, and this form of astrology reverberates in Waldorf thinking. [2] The stars and planets do not control us, Steiner said, but they affect us deeply. So, for instance, when Steiner informed Waldorf teachers that there are basically four types of students (choleric, sanguine, melancholic, and phlegmatic) [3], he indiacted that each of these types is influenced by a specific zodiacal constellation (Libra, Virgo, Leo, and Cancer, respectively). [4]
Steiner's seven planetary seals are insignia meant to represent the mystical powers of the planets or planetary spheres. They are reproduced, somewhat vaguely, on the cover of THE SEAT OF THE SOUL: Saturn, Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus. [5]
Steiner had many marvelous things to say about the "planets." He spoke of the planets as living entities, he specified the gifts the planets potentially hold for us, and he told about the beings who live on the planets. Here are some samples [6]:
The Moon
“When we speak of the Moon as a physical body in the heavens, its physical nature is only the external, the most external, revelation of the Spiritual [i.e., spiritual reality] behind it ... [T]he Moon in our universe presents itself to begin with as a gathering of spiritual Beings living in great seclusion ... They live in their Moon 'fortress' ... [T]hese Beings who have now entrenched themselves in the Moon fortress were once the great Teachers of earthly humanity ... [T]he highest wisdom once possessed by the Earth lies concealed within the Moon fortress.”
Saturn
"[Saturn is] a kind of antithesis to the Moon ... Saturn is an entirely self-engrossed heavenly body in our planetary system, raying [i.e., projecting] his own being into the universe ... He speaks only of himself, tells us only what he himself is ... [T]he hosts of Beings indwelling Saturn [i.e., living there] lend their attention to the outer universe, but...they speak only of past cosmic events. That is why Saturn is like a kaleidoscopic memory of our planetary system ... Saturn is the constant tempter of those who listen to his secrets ... Those who have a particular inclination towards Saturn in earthly existence are people who like to be gazing always into the past, who are opposed to progress, who ever and again want to bring back the past."
Jupiter
“Jupiter is the Thinker in our planetary system, and thinking is the activity cultivated by all the Beings in his cosmic domain. Creative thoughts received from the universe radiate to us from Jupiter ... Whereas Saturn tells of the past, Jupiter gives a living portrayal of what is connected with him in the cosmic present ... A man who has tried hard to apply clear thinking to some problem but cannot get to the root of it, will find, if he is patient and works inwardly at it, that the Jupiter powers will actually help him during the night.”
Mars
“Mars may be called the great 'Talker' in the planetary system ... Mars is constantly blurting out to the souls in his sphere whatever in the cosmos is accessible to him — which is not everything. Mars...is particularly active when human beings talk in sleep or in dream ... Mars does little thinking. He has few thinkers, but many talkers, in his sphere. The Mars Spirits are always on the watch for what arises here or there in the universe and then they talk about it with great zest and fervour ... In a certain sense Mars may be called the Agitator in our universe. He is always out to persuade, whereas Jupiter wants only to convince.”
And so on. Steiner made similar statements about Venus, and Mercury, and the Sun. And all of it made as much sense — or as little — as what you've just read. [7]
Anthroposophists do not live in the universe revealed by modern astronomy and other genuine sciences. They live in an imaginary universe, the astrological universe described by Rudolf Steiner.
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] See "Astrology" and "Star Power".
[2] See "Waldorf Astrology".
[3] See "Humouresque" and "Temperaments".
[4] See, e.g., FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER (Anthroposophic Press, 1998), p. 91.
[5] For clearer reproductions, see, e.g., a web page posted by The Sophia Institute: https://www.sophiainstitute.us/ic17.html.
[6] The quotations given here — concerning the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars — are drawn from Steiner's lecture "The Spiritual Individualities of the Planets" (THE GOLDEN BLADE, Hawthorn Press, 1988), GA 288.
[7] See, e.g., "The Planets".
— R.R.
July 17, 2019
◊ News Briefs ◊
MORE ON MEASLES
— AND WALDORF
From Fox 7 News [Texas, USA]:
Anti-vaccination movement
creating disease outbreak hotspots
By Jennifer Kendall
Doctors in Texas are worried the anti-vaccination movement could create a widespread disease outbreak.
In fact, the Texas Department of State Health Services said the number of children exempt from vaccines in schools rose 14 percent last year.
What's even more concerning to local doctors is that exempt students tend to be grouped together. For example, 46 percent of students at the Waldorf School in Austin haven't been vaccinated.
"Measles, flu, all these different diseases, they are preventable," said Dr. Stephen Line, family medicine resident physician at the University of Texas...
[M]ore than 60,000 Texas parents chose not to vaccinate their children since 2003...
[Dr. Line added:] "It's not all about you. It's about protecting other people too...."
[7/17/2019 http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-news/anti-vaccination-movement-creating-disease-outbreak-hotspots This article originally appeared on July 15.]
o
From The Middletown Press [Connecticut, USA]:
Connecticut seeks dismissal
of child vaccine lawsuit
By Jenna Carlesso
Lawyers for the state have asked a Superior Court judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a Bristol couple suing to block the release of data that highlights what percentage of children at each Connecticut school are unvaccinated.
The state health department, named as a defendant in the case, in May released the first school-by-school assessment of child immunization rates. The data from the 2017-18 year show 102 schools where fewer than 95 percent of kindergarten students were vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella — the threshold recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [for community-wide immunity]...
The proposal would not have forced children to be immunized. It would have prohibited unvaccinated children from attending Connecticut’s public schools...
Data show Housatonic Valley Waldorf School, a private school in Newtown, came out on top, with 37.7 percent of students reporting religious exemptions [from vaccination] ....
[7/17/2019 https://www.middletownpress.com/middletown/article/Connecticut-seeks-dismissal-of-child-vaccine-14091735.php This article originally appeared on July 12.]
o
From The Santa Monica Mirror [California, USA}:
Low Vaccination Rates
at Westside Kindergartens
By Sam Catanzaro
California law requires all children to receive certain immunizations in order to attend both public and private schools, but in the past year, the vaccination rate among many kindergarten students in and near Santa Monica are declining...
According to data released recently by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)...vaccination rates at three kindergartens on the Westside serving many Santa Monica families declined by more than 13 percent over the past year. At a fourth local school, while vaccination rates increased, less than half the kindergarten student body was fully vaccinated, according to CDPH...
[A]t Garden of Angels a private school located on 18th Street in Santa Monica, vaccination rates among kindergarteners decreased by 24 percent...
At another private school, Westside Waldorf located on Sunset Boulevard, while vaccination rates increased from previous years, according to CDPH data, the vaccination rate among kindergarteners in 2018-2019 was only 43 percent. The school did not report 2017-2018 data, but between 2015-2017, the rate [at Westside Waldorf] was only 27 percent....
[7/17/2019 https://smmirror.com/2019/07/low-vaccination-rates-at-westside-kindergartens/]
July 12, 2019
THE BLACK BEAST
FACES HIS ACCUSERS
Grégoire Perra, 2019.
The testimony phase of Grégoire Perra's latest trial has been completed [1]. The judges who heard the case will now consider the evidence and reach a verdict — a process likely to take months.
Perra is a former Waldorf student and teacher who, after rising to prominence in Anthroposophical circles [2], underwent an intellectual conversion and repudiated Rudolf Steiner and his works — including Waldorf education. At his website, La Vérité sur les écoles Steiner-Waldorf {The Truth About Steiner-Waldorf Schools} [3], he has published numerous critiques of Anthroposophical undertakings — chiefly Waldorf education. In response, his former colleagues have accused him, repeatedly, of libel and defamation [4].
An ironic consequence of Anthroposophists' legal challenges to Perra has been to elevate him in the public's consciousness, producing far wider knowledge of his arguments than would have been likely otherwise. Now one of France's most storied news organizations, Le Figaro [5], has published a brief account Perra's recent experiences in court. Here are some excerpts:
In front of the judges,
Steiner schools defend themselves
against charges of sectarianism
By Marie-Estelle Pech
...Do Steiner-Waldorf schools serve as fronts for a secretive cult, or do they embrace a simple, inoffensive humanistic philosophy? This is the underlying debate that took place on Tuesday before the Strasbourg Criminal Court.
Several members of the Steiner-Waldorf schools marched through the court to defend the validity of their educational methods ... Their bête noire, whom they have accused of defamation...is named Grégoire Perra, a former student and former Waldorf teacher...
Dressed all in black, now a philosophy teacher at a public high school in the Paris region, [Perra] has made the denunciation of Anthroposophy the fight of a lifetime. For the past six years, he has been writing numerous articles on a blog, denouncing the fact that, in these schools, students are reportedly indoctrinated in a secretive way [6]...
...Steiner schools absolutely forbid mixing Anthroposophy with their teaching practices, [Waldorf teacher Virginie Macé] testifies [7].
...A question is raised in the court [directed at Waldorf schools]: "Since you claim to teach much as other schools do, what is the point of offering yourself as an alternative form of education? Why don't you affirm the obvious link between your schools and Anthroposophy?" Don't Anthroposophical meetings take place in this or that school? ...
A former civil servant takes the stand. His five children were enrolled in Alsatian Steiner schools ... He claims that he has "never noticed any hidden teaching, any recruitment or closure of the mind, quite the contrary"...
...[T]he president of the court [8] asks this father about the practice of "eurythmy" in the schools, an Anthroposophical corporal and artistic discipline that represents sounds and their meanings in order to enact soul movements [9].
In October, the court will have to decide between "a sect which, according to our malicious detractor, practices a century-old art of deception," as the lawyer for the schools says sarcastically, and Grégoire Perra, who presents himself as a whistleblower in good faith, "even if," as his lawyer says, "his pen, it is true, sometimes lacks a light touch."
[7/12/2019 http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/devant-les-juges-les-ecoles-steiner-se-defendent-de-toute-derive-sectaire-20190709 This article originally appeared on July 9. Translation by Roger Rawlings, relying heavily on DeepL Translator and Google Translate.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] For Perra's account of his first trial, see "My Life Among the Anthroposophists", Part 3.
[2] See "My Life Among the Anthroposophists", Part 1 and Part 2.
[3] See https://veritesteiner.wordpress.com.
[4] See, e.g., “Fourth lawsuit Filed Against Waldorf Whistle-Blower”, March 30, 2019.
[5] Le Figaro is a long-established newspaper, having a generally conservative editorial stance. A magazine supplement, also called Le Figaro, is also published.
[6] See "Indoctrination".
[7] This is, indeed, the key issue. Do Steiner or Waldorf schools bring Anthroposophy into the classroom? For the answer, see "Here's the Answer", "Sneaking It In", and the section "We Don't Teach It" in "Spiritual Agenda".
[8] I.e., the Chief Justice.
[9] Eurythmy is a form of spiritual dance instituted by Rudolf Steiner. Typically, all students in a Steiner or Waldorf school are required to perform eurythmy. [See "Eurythmy".]
— R.R.
July 11, 2019
STEINER SCHOOLS A POOR FIT
IN A HINDU-CENTRIC TRUST?
As reported here previously, some failing Steiner schools in the United Kingdom are seeking shelter within an educational trust that, to date, has specialized in sponsoring Hindu schools [1].
At the website The Quackometer, Andy Lewis has posted a page contemplating this situation: "Steiner Free Schools Transferring to Hindu Academy Trust." Here is the conclusion of that page, along with some footnotes I have appended:
In a Steiner School, there is no need to have fully paid up members [2] everywhere. You just need people to follow the curriculum and the rules of governance [3] – and not worry too much about what it all means. There will be some First Class Anthroposophists [4] around though – the holders of blue cards [5] – the highest initiates – who will be most concerned that the doctrines of Steiner are followed. The Schools will not be allowed to carry the Steiner name unless [they] adhere to the anthroposophical curriculum and governance – the very practices that ended up with all these schools being deemed inadequate in just about every dimension by Ofsted [6].
A clash is bound to follow. If the Avanti [7] sponsors try to raise educational standards [8], that will be resisted (young children should not be taught to read [9]), if more openness and transparency is required, this will be resisted by [the Steiner] culture of secrecy, lying and dishonesty [10]. If better safeguarding [11] is demanded, this will be countered by an ethos of improper relationships and staff who know no boundaries [12].
There would appear to be only two outcomes possible here: either Avanti purge the school of anthroposopy and anthroposophists, or they walk away. Will the parents allow Avanti to drastically change the school approach [13]? They joined the Steiner movement precisely because it did not push children academically, it favoured play and art, and had few apparent rules [14]. If Avanti walk away, then who will sponsor the schools? (I have heard one report of a prospective sponsor declining to take on the school due to the inability for the school accounts to be signed off [15].)
Once again, I can only conclude that there has been a lot of naivety in the understanding of the Steiner school movement. Whatever happens, children are likely to be the ones who suffer the most.
[7/11/2019 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2019/06/steiner-free-schools-transferring-to-hindu-academy-trust.html This item was originally posted on June 20.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] See, e.g., "Three of Four Steiner Academies Turn to a Hindu Schools Trust", June 19, 2019.
[2] I.e., fully committed Anthroposophists.
[3] See, e.g., "The Waldorf Curriculum" and "Faculty Meetings".
[4] See "First Class" in The Brief Waldorf / Steiner Encyclopedia. Members of the First Class are essentially "fully paid up members" of the Anthroposophical movement.
[5] "Blue cards" are effectively Anthroposophical certificates identifying the holders as devout Anthroposophists, qualified to enter exclusive Anthroposophical circles.
[6] Oftsed is the inspection service that has found so many Steiner schools deficient; it is the UK government's Office for Standards in Education. [See "The Steiner School Crisis".]
[7] This is the educational trust mentioned earlier: the Avanti Schools Trust.
[8] Educational standards in Steiner or Waldorf schools are often lax. [See "Academic Standards at Waldorf".]
[9] Steiner or Waldorf schools usually do not teach children to read until at least age seven. The schools are waiting for the kids' "etheric bodies" to incarnate. [See "Incarnation".]
[10] A common complaint against Steiner/Waldorf schools is that they are secretive and deceptive. [See, e.g., "Our Experience" and "Secrets".]
[11] Ofsted has found that various Steiner schools have not adequately protected their students. [See, again, "The Steiner School Crisis".]
[12] See, e.g., "Mistreating Kids Lovingly" and the sections "Questionable Closeness Between Students and Teachers" and "A Confusion of Roles" in "He Went to Waldorf".
[13] Equally important, will the Steiner faculties allow this? To the extent that the schools are staffed by devout Anthroposophists, the resistance will be intense.
[14] The appeal of Steiner/Waldorf schools can be great. [See, e.g., "Glory".] But parents who choose these schools thinking they are progressive institutions have almost certainly been misled. [See the section "Are Waldorf Schools Progressive?" in "Waldorf Now".]
[15] I.e., proper financial accounts have not been kept. (This is evidently a problem at various Steiner/Waldorf schools. As one board member discovered at her Waldorf school, "The financial statements were literally made up and had nothing to do with the true financial picture of the school." [See "Coming Undone".])
— R.R.
July 8, 2019
CONFIRMED: FROME STEINER TOO
WILL JOIN HINDU-ATTACHED TRUST
Steiner schools in the United Kingdom have been reeling after official inspections found serious problems at many of the schools. [1] Faced with possible closure, some of the schools have sought shelter within an educational trust that, to date, has run only Hindu schools. [2]
Today we have confirmation that a struggling Steiner academy in Frome will join the Avanti Schools Trust.
From Somerset Live [county of Somerset, England]:
Frome Steiner Academy to be
taken over by Avanti trust
which runs Hindu faith-based schools
Schools commissioner 'remains concerned' about education standards
By Michael Scanlan & Richard Mills
Frome Steiner Academy [3] will be taken over by a trust which operates several Hindu faith-based schools across the UK.
The Avanti Schools Trust [4] has been authorised to take over the academy, which was placed in special measures [5] after Ofsted [6] deemed it inadequate [7] in November 2018...
Lisa Mannall, Regional Schools Commissioner [8] for the South West wrote: "I remain concerned about the standard of education at the school, and the Regional Schools Commissioners office will be closely monitoring progress after the school transfers."
In November, Inspectors...told the school it must improve 'immediately' in a number of areas, including where governors hold senior leaders to account for poor standards and keeping pupils safe [9]...
The Avanti Schools [Trust] describes its ethos on its website: "Avanti Schools support each person’s life journey along three parallel paths: educational excellence; character formation; and spiritual insight.
"In those of our schools which are specifically Hindu faith-designated, this means to awaken each person’s unique and loving relationship with Krishna (God) [10].
"In all Avanti schools, spirituality is made relevant and accessible to all, irrespective of faith or belief."
It is understood that Frome Steiner Academy will not become a faith designated school and will remain non-denominational [11]...
It is still unclear at this stage how much of Waldorf Steiner’s teaching the new academy will adopt and what it will inherit from the...Avanti Trust [12]....
[7/8/2019 https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/frome-steiner-academy-taken-over-3063279 This article originally appeared on July 7.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] See "The Steiner School Crisis".
[2] See "Three of Four Steiner Academies Turn to a Hindu Schools Trust", June 19, 2019.
[3] For previous coverage of the situation at this school, see "Inadequate: Bristol, Frome, &..."
Steiner "academies" are free schools (comparable to American charter schools): They receive public financing, but they largely go their own way, implementing their own curricula and methodologies.
[4] From the Avanti website: "The purpose of Avanti is to contribute to society through the systematic pursuit of human values and spiritual development ... Our vision was for a family of schools based upon our core principles of educational excellence, character formation and spiritual insight. We now have close to 2,700 students and 250 members of staff across our family of 7 schools ... Our current schools all have Hindu faith-designations and the next exciting phase for Avanti is to develop our group of non-denominational schools, underpinned by Avanti’s purpose to contribute to society through the systematic pursuit of human values and spiritual development." — https://avanti.org.uk/about/.
[5] "Special measures" are emergency provisions meant to quickly improve a subpar school.
[6] Ofsted is the UK government's Office for Standards in Education.
[7] "Inadequate" is the lowest rating issued by Ofsted: It is a failing grade.
[8] From the web page for the Schools Commissioners Group: "The National Schools Commissioner and regional schools commissioners work with school leaders to take action in underperforming schools ... Regional schools commissioners (RSCs) act on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education and are accountable to the National Schools Commissioner." — https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/schools-commissioners-group/about.
[9] As reported by The Guardian, "The Frome report accuses leaders and governors [at Steiner Academy Frome] of failing to provide pupils with a safe and effective education...." [See "More Inspections, More Failures", January 17, 2019.]
[10] Hinduism is polytheistic — there is no One and Only God as in monotheistic faiths. "Krishna...[is] one of the most widely revered and most popular of all Indian divinities, worshipped as the eighth incarnation (avatar, or avatara) of the Hindu god Vishnu and also as a supreme god in his own right." — ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA, July 8, 2019. Note that Krishna is "a" supreme god, not the supreme god.
Anthroposophy, too, is polytheistic. [See "Polytheism".] This is one indication that a meeting of the minds may be possible between Steiner proponents and Avanti's leaders.
[11] While generally proclaiming their interest in spirituality, Steiner schools almost always deny that they are religious or denominational institutions. But their ties to Anthroposophy belie this denial. Anthroposophy is in fact a religion (although Anthroposophists usually prefer to call their belief system a "spiritual science"). [See "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?"]
[12] This will almost certainly be the key issue. The faculty of Steiner Academy Exeter will presumably want to remain true to Steiner education, but the leaders of the Avanti Schools Trust may want to move in a different direction. If so, considerable strife may ensue. Unfortunately for the Steiner group, the Avanti group will be — at least formally — in charge.
— R.R.
July 4, 2019
OFSTED STRIKES AGAIN:
YORK STEINER FLUNKS
The crisis for Steiner education in the United Kingdom continues to widen. The UK government's Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) has rated yet another Steiner school "Inadequate." Eleven Steiner schools have now been given this rating, which is the lowest of four ratings issued by Ofsted — it is a failing grade.
From TES (formerly the Times Education Supplement) [London, England]:
Knitting not enough -
in new Ofsted Steiner failure
Inspection report says Waldorf Steiner curriculum
allows pupils to develop practical skills in sewing but not in science
By John Roberts
A private Steiner school [1] has been rated as inadequate by Ofsted [2] in a report which criticises its teaching and learning, curriculum and pupils' results.
The inspectorate said that the York school’s Waldorf Steiner curriculum was too narrow and does not allow pupils to gain sufficient knowledge and skills [3]...
Almost half of the Steiner schools which have been inspected by Ofsted have been rated as inadequate.
Of 23 published inspection reports, 11 schools were rated as inadequate, seven were judged to require improvement and five were judged to be good [4]...
The report published today rates [York Steiner School's] leadership and management, teaching and learning and its pupil outcomes as inadequate [5].
The personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils and the early years provision [6] were found to require improvement.
The Ofsted’s report states: “...[I]n handcraft lessons pupils develop a range of skills in knitting and sewing [7]. However, in other subject areas the curriculum does not allow pupils to gain sufficient knowledge and skills. For example, in science [8], secondary pupils have too little opportunity to develop practical skills.”
Inspectors said that the school had not put in place an effective system to assess pupils’ starting points and measure their progress over time...
Inspectors found that the work set for the most able pupils did not always stretch and challenge them.
And Ofsted said that the current medical room was not adequate...
However the report praises the “very newly formed leadership team” for having a clear vision for future improvement.
Ofsted also said that pupils’ personal development and well-being is a clear priority to staff and leaders and that this was a strength of the school....
[7/4/2019 https://www.tes.com/news/knitting-not-enough-new-ofsted-steiner-failure] [9]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] The report is for York Steiner School, in northern England.
[2] From the Ofsted website: "Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. We inspect services providing education and skills for learners of all ages. We also inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people." [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted]
[3] This critique strikes at the core of education as it is usually conceived: conveying knowledge of the real world to students, and preparing the students for productive lives in the real world. Steiner or Waldorf education generally has a different focus, which may be described as spiritual or mystical. [See "Here's the Answer".]
[4] "Requires Improvement" is equivalent to a grade of "D" or "C-". "Good" is the equivalent of a grade of "B" or "C+". The highest rating Ofsted issues is "Outstanding" — equivalent to a grade of "A".
Ofsted has inspected private Steiner schools as well as state-funded Steiner academies. Overall, 18 of the 23 Steiner schools inspected have been rated "Inadequate" or "Requires Improvement". This is over three-fourths of the schools (78%). Just five of the inspected Steiner schools were rated "Good" (22%). None were rated "Outstanding".
[5] This is a sweeping indictment, encompassing most of the primary functions of a school: from management, to teaching, to the results for students.
[6] "Early years provision" consists of the services provided for the youngest students.
[7] “Go into our needlework classes and handicraft classes at the Waldorf School, and you will find the boys knit and crochet as well as the girls ... This is not the result of any fad or whim, but happens deliberately in order to...permeate the fingers with soul. And to drive the soul into the fingers means to promote all the forces that go to build up sound teeth.” — Rudolf Steiner, THE RENEWAL OF EDUCATION (Anthroposophic Press, 2001), p. 10.
[8] Science instruction is often among the weakest parts of Waldorf education, where an anti-scientific bias often prevails. Rudolf Steiner claimed to respect science, and indeed he claimed that Anthroposophy is a "spiritual science". But in fact Steiner was often harshly critical of real science. He opposed “scientific simpletons” with their “scientific trash” and their “logical, pedantic, narrow-minded proof of things.” He deplored “primitive concepts like those...of contemporary science.” What is wrong with science? "[S]cience speaks under the influence of the demonic Mars-forces." Hence, "[W]hen we listen to a modern physicist blandly explaining that Nature consists of electrons...we raise Evil to the rank of the ruling world-divinity.” [See "Steiner's 'Science'".]
[9] Parents seeking an excellent school for their children should probably bear this in mind: None of the Steiner-Waldorf schools inspected to date have been found to be excellent (i.e., "Outstanding"). None. Perhaps this will change in the future, but so far the U.K. Steiner-Waldorf excellence quotient stands at zero. If you're looking for educational excellence, you should probably look elsewhere.
— R.R.
July 3, 2019
HARSH INSPECTIONS
CALLED UNFAIR
During recent months, the UK government's Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) has issued a string of harsh inspection reports concerning Steiner Waldorf schools. While the inspectors have rated some Steiner schools “Good,” they have judged others to “Require Improvement,” and they have assessed still others to be “Inadequate” [1].
Supporters of Steiner education have accepted some Ofsted inspection reports, but they have bridled at others, and they have sought various methods for countering Ofsted.
Now some prominent Britons have signed a letter questioning Ofsted's ability to adequately assess Steiner education.
The following is from The Independent [2]:
‘Bullying’ Ofsted too test-obsessed
to understand Steiner schools,
say experts in response to
watchdog’s condemnation
Exclusive: Former Archbishop of Canterbury is among
signatories of a letter calling for Ofsted to change
Ofsted’s criticism of Steiner schools is “wrong” because the unique education philosophy cannot be fairly assessed under the rigid inspection system, a group of educationalists [3] has argued.
After the watchdog [i.e., Ofsted] decided to downgrade a group of Steiner schools, the experts [4] said the decision was “misguided” and ignores high satisfaction of parents [5].
The former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams is among the signatories of a joint letter the experts sent to Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman, which has been seen exclusively by The Independent.
The former chief commissioner for schools Tim Brighouse also signed the letter, along with more than a dozen professors of education.
They call for Ofsted to be replaced with a more “supportive” inspectorate that does not “punish, bully and publicly humiliate” [6]. The watchdog had urged the government to investigate whether the principles of Steiner education had led to “common failures” among a string of schools it judged “inadequate”...
Ms Spielman previously said that government should consider shutting down Steiner schools, arguing they fail to keep children safe or provide quality education.
But the letter argues families who have deliberately chosen a Steiner school to escape “testing-obsessed” education [7] had been left distressed by her “unwarranted attack” [8]...
An Ofsted spokesperson [responded]: “Ofsted has a duty to report as we find, and we inspect all schools on their individual merits.
“We have recently judged some Steiner schools to be good, but at a number of schools we found that the leadership was not fit for purpose and staff were not addressing risks to pupils’ welfare.
“In the worst cases, inspectors witnessed inappropriate physical handling of children and a failure to make appropriate referrals to the local authority when pupils were clearly at risk of harm.” [9]
They [sic] added: “In short, the findings of our inspections of these schools are well founded and fair, and we stand by our judgements. [10]”
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] The highest rating issued by Ofsted is “Outstanding” — equivalent to a grade of “A”. The second-highest rating is “Good” — equivalent to a “B” or a high “C”. The next rating is “Requires Improvement” — equivalent to a “D” or a low "C". The worst rating is “Inadequate” — equivalent to an “F.”
For a recent tally of Ofsted inspections of UK Steiner schools — now somewhat dated — see “A Site Returns and Tots Up the Damage”, May 26, 2019. News reports about the most recent Ofsted inspections of Steiner schools indicate that inspectors were highly critical of two schools (Steiner Academy Exeter and Langley Hill School) while assessing one school (Ringwood Waldorf School) to be good. [See Waldorf Watch items for July 1 & 2, 2019.]
[2] "The Independent is a British online newspaper. Established in 1986 as a politically independent national morning newspaper published in London." — Wikipedia.
[3] Many parents who choose Steiner education for their children are indeed happy with their choice — at least initially. Some, however, eventually become disillusioned, often for reasons that are similar to Ofsted's findings. [See, e.g., "Our Experience" and "Coming Undone".]
[4] If most of the signatories are educationalists, some — such as the former Archbishop of Canterbury — are not.
[5] Signatories who are not educationalists are not in fact "experts" on education. And among educationalists, many are unlikely to have deep knowledge of Steiner education per se.
[6] This is a highly contentious recommendation. Presumably any school of any type that gets a low rating might consider itself to be punished, bullied, or humiliated. The only way to totally eliminate such a possibility would be to refrain from issuing low ratings. But then the entire process of inspecting and assessing schools would become meaningless or nearly so — bad schools would never be identified as such, which means good schools would no longer truly stand out as being better.
[7] Ofsted's reports would be "unwarranted" only if they were false or unjustified. But this has not been demonstrated, it has merely been alleged. Ofsted is undoubtedly imperfect — as are all human institutions — but the letter's signatories do not show that Ofsted is unreliable or that its reports are false.
[8] There is, indeed, an excessive fixation on standardized tests in many school nowadays. But Ofsted's inspection reports generally include several other criteria. The inspectors visit the schools and report, among other things, what they see with their own eyes.
Ofsted rates schools according to their performance in six areas:
1. Effectiveness of leadership and management
2. Quality of teaching, learning and assessment
3. Personal development, behavior and welfare
4. Outcomes for pupils
5. Early years provision [i.e., provisions for the youngest students]
6. Sixth form provision [i.e., provisions for the most senior students]
A rating of “overall effectiveness” is then given, based on assessments in the six areas.
[9] In addition, inspection reports for some Steiner schools described poor management and poor teaching. [See "Steiner School Crisis".]
[10] Ofsted's procedures are certainly open to question, and its reports should not be accepted uncritically. Moreover, the question of how Steiner schools should be assessed is certainly worth careful consideration and debate. But any such discussion should be based on a deep knowledge of Steiner methods and purposes. [See "Spiritual Agenda", "The Waldorf Curriculum", and "Methods".] A complicating factor, which needs to be borne in mind and offset, is that Steiner schools have a long history of concealing their workings from outsiders. [See "Secrets".] A thumbnail description is this: Steiner schools exist to advance the cause of Anthroposophy, the religion established by Rudolf Steiner. [See "Here's the Answer", "Schools as Churches", and "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?"] A valuable summary (more valuable, probably, than he knew) was provided by Rudolf Steiner when he gave teachers at the first Waldorf school the following caution: “[W]e have to remember that an institution like the Independent Waldorf School with its anthroposophical character, has goals that, of course, coincide with anthroposophical desires. At the moment, though, if that connection were made official, people would break the Waldorf School’s neck." — Rudolf Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER (Anthroposophic Press, 1998), p. 705. So, Steiner indicated, Waldorf teachers need to mislead outsiders. As he said on another occasion, "We must worm our way through ... We have to be conscious that in order to do what we want to do, at least, it is necessary to talk with the people [i.e., outsiders], not because we want to but because we have to, and inwardly make fools of them." — Rudolf Steiner, CONFERENCES WITH THE TEACHERS OF THE WALDORF SCHOOL IN STUTTGART, Vol. 1 (Steiner Schools Fellowship Publications, 1986), p. 125.
— R.R.
July 2, 2019
NEW INSPECTION OF STEINER ACADEMY
AGAIN FINDS MULTIPLE SHORTCOMINGS
The Steiner academy in the city of Exeter is one of the UK Steiner schools that in recent months have received sharply critical inspection reports from education authorities [1]. Now a follow-up inspection has reconfirmed, in most areas, the earlier findings: The school is still sub-par.
From Devon Live [county of Devon, UK]:
Ofsted inspectors [2] still aren't impressed
with Exeter's failing Steiner Academy
"Of greatest concern is the lack of attention leaders give to the significant minority of pupils who do not attend school regularly"
By Anita Merritt
Leaders and managers at Exeter’s Steiner Academy are not taking effective action to come out of being put in special measures, [3] according to inspectors.
Other criticisms included one in four children do not attend school on a regular basis, many pupils are still underachieving, and there is poor safeguarding record keeping [4].
In May the school received its first monitoring inspection since the school was found to be inadequate [5] in many areas following an Ofsted inspection last October.
The 442-pupil school in Exeter was shut down for more than a week when a catalogue of failings at the school included leadership being 'dysfunctional at every level', kindergarten pupils being physically restrained by teachers, and a lack of support for vulnerable children.
In a letter to the school’s principal, Ofsted inspector Iain Freeland said: "The uncertainty of the school’s future [6] has hindered, and continues to hinder, the impact of leaders’ work …
"[P]rocedures to ensure that pupils are where they should be and accurate registers are maintained are still not robust [7]…
"Of greatest concern is the lack of attention leaders give to the significant minority of pupils who do not attend school regularly. The school’s systems to check on these pupils’ whereabouts and their safety are deficient…
"Safeguarding record keeping, although improved, is still poor. Records are often incomplete or lack precision"…
When it came to teaching, the report said: "The variance in the quality of teaching and learning remains stark, and inadequate teaching persists [8]…"
Pupil numbers have fallen and attendance at the school was described as "poor" and had declined month on month since the start of the academic year, and an overall four-year decline. Persistent absence is almost twice the national average [9]…
[T]he school was praised in a number of areas.
It was said behaviour around the school site and in class is now more settled; since January, a member of staff has been deployed solely to monitor and manage attendance; a new behaviour and rewards policy has been introduced; and leaders have secured external support from several sources.
[7/2/2019 https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/ofsted-inspectors-still-arent-impressed-3044156.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] For previous coverage of the situation at this school, see “S. A. Exeter”.
[2] Ofsted, the UK government’s Office for Standards in Education, inspects many — but not all — schools in the United Kingdom.
[3] “Special measures,” in this context, are emergency procedures implemented in an effort to improve a failing school. Steiner Academy Exeter has put in special measures during the autumn of 2018. [See “Devastating Inspection Report on U.K. Steiner Academy”, November 17, 2018.]
[4] Poor “safeguarding” (i.e., protection of students) has been an issue at various UK Steiner schools. [See “Steiner School Crisis”.] Record keeping is considered essential, so that the school knows at all times which students are present and under supervision.
[5] “Inadequate” is the lowest evaluation issued by Ofsted; it is equivalent to a grade of “F”.
[6] The school has attempted to ensure its future by joining the Avanti Trust, a multi-academy trust that to date has specialized in running Hindu schools. [See “Threatened Steiner Schools Turn to Hindu Trust”, June 14, 2019.] Inspectors evidently think the school’s future remains uncertain.
[7] A "register," in the sense used here, is an official record. The school evidently fails to keep track of students' movements — it does not know for sure where students are within the school, nor how many students may have arrived at school but then left without permission, nor how many students may have skipped school altogether on any given day.
[8] “Inadequate” teaching is, according to Ofsted usage, extremely poor teaching. Thus, inspections have indicated that the school has been deficient in safeguarding, in management (“dysfunctional at every level”), and in the quality of the education it provides (“inadequate teaching persists”). The school’s shortcoming run across the board. Hence, the headline of today’s article at Devon Live refers to the school as “failing.”
[9] Overall, a lax atmosphere seems to prevail. (According Anthroposophical belief, students — like all human beings — have guardian angels. Hence, teachers, parents, and other adults can relax to some degree — kids will probably be protected by their angels. Also, a certain fatalism runs through Anthroposophy: Students — like all human beings — have karmas that, in most cases, must be allowed to play out. Hence, at least some Waldorf teachers are likely to believe that if a child is fated to miss school on a certain day, or to experience a crisis of some sort, this fate or karma usually must be respected. [See "guardian angels" and "karma" in The Brief Waldorf / Steiner Encyclopedia.]) Then, too, if students at Waldorf schools are less motivated to attend school than students at other schools are, this may tell us something about the value Waldorf students find in their schooling.
— R.R.
July 1, 2019
STEINER SCHOOL INSPECTIONS:
WIN SOME, LOSE SOME (CONT.)
Official inspections of Steiner schools in the United Kingdom (UK) have been taking a toll. Many of the schools have received sharply critical assessments, with the result that the Steiner-Waldorf movement in the UK appears to be in some jeopardy [1].
Here are two new reports about inspections of Steiner schools in the UK. In one case, the news is positive for the Steiner-Waldorf movement. In the other case, the bad news of recent months continues and deepens, threatening the efforts of a failed Steiner school to reinvent itself.
1.
From the Salisbury Journal [Salisbury, England]:
Ringwood Waldorf School
retains ‘good’ rating from Ofsted
By Katy Griffin
RINGWOOD Waldorf School [2] has been praised by education inspectors for making "considerable improvements" over the past year.
Ofsted [3] rated the Folly Farm Lane school "good" [4] in all six inspection areas, which look at the effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment, outcomes for pupils; and early years and sixth form provision.
It retains its "good" overall inspection rating.
The report said: "This school has improved considerably in the past year..."
It said pupils in the lower school make "good progress" in reading and writing which were inline with other pupils nationally. And the attainment of pupils in the upper school in English and maths at GCSE level [5] was "above" the national average, adding attainment across a range of other curriculum areas was "strong".
The leadership of provision for special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) was "effective"...
[T]eaching is "typically well planned"...
Staff were praised for being "motivated" and having "good subject knowledge".
Inspectors said efforts to improve pupil attendance rates had "not had enough effect" and that attendance "remains too low".
Ringwood Waldorf’s chair of trustees Esbjorn Wilmar said the inspection had been a "highly positive experience for the school", adding: “We are delighted to have been awarded Good by Ofsted. All the staff deserve to have their hard work and dedication celebrated and recognised…." [6]
[7/1/2019 https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/17738792.ringwood-waldorf-school-retains-good-rating-from-ofsted/ This article originally appeared on June 30.]
2.
From the Hemel Gazette [Hemel Hempstead, England]:
Steiner Waldorf: New school
fails Ofsted just three months
before it is due to open
By Ben Raza
A new private school has failed its Ofsted inspection — three months before it is due to open.
Langley Hill School is the successor to Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley (RSSKL), which was forced to close last year after long-standing failings with leadership and student safeguarding [7].
Now Ofsted inspectors have given their verdict on [the] new school, based on the same site and expected to follow a similar curriculum — and say that it too is unlikely to pass muster.
The report says that:
• There are "no plans in place for two-year-old children" — despite the school’s proposal to admit two-year-olds;
• There is no curriculum plan for A-levels [8], nor are there plans for careers guidance;
• Neither the assistant headteacher nor teachers have been recruited;
• The school’s leaders had significantly underestimated how much work was needed before classrooms were ready to be used again;
• Staff from the former school were on site during the inspection, "with little convincing explanation as to why".
The report adds: "The headteacher has not yet been confirmed in post, even though the school has advertised to parents that a headteacher has been appointed…."
Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley closed in the summer of 2018 following a two-year saga.
The school repeatedly failed inspections by Ofsted…
Although Langley Hill is a new school, it is expected to follow a similar curriculum, and around half the staff will be former RSSKL employees [9].
However, the new school will be part of the Avanti Schools Trust [10], and is set to charge far higher fees of up to £15,000…
Neither Langley Hill School nor the Avanti Schools Trust returned our calls this week….
[7/1/2019 https://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/education/steiner-waldorf-new-school-fails-ofsted-just-three-months-before-it-is-due-to-open-1-8980194 This article originally appeared on June 28.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] See "Steiner School Crisis".
[2] The school, which enrolls students from kindergarten through upper school, is on the border between the counties of Dorset and Hampshire.
[3] Ofsted is the UK government's Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills.
[4] "Good" is the second of four evaluations issued by Ofsted; it is equivalent to a grade of "B". (The highest evaluation, equivalent to an "A", is "Outstanding". The lowest evaluation, equivalent to an "F", is "Inadequate". The remaining evaluation, falling between "Good" and "Inadequate", is "Requires Improvement"; this is equivalent to a D or C-.)
[5] GCSE is the General Certificate of Secondary Education. Passing this examination indicates a student is making acceptable progress in secondary education. Students usually take the exam about halfway through their secondary schooling.
[6] Meeting standard educational goals is often difficult for Steiner or Waldorf schools, which typically direct their focus elsewhere. [See "Here's the Answer", "Academic Standards at Waldorf", and "Soul School".] If they attempt to meet standard goals, these schools may end up straying from the objectives, curriculum, and methods mapped out by Waldorf founder Rudolf Steiner. [See "Spiritual Agenda", "Curriculum", and "Methods".] The question becomes, then, whether the altered institutions remain real Steiner/Waldorf schools. [See, e.g., "Non-Waldorf Waldorfs".]
[7] The school is located in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England. [For coverage of the events leading to the closure of Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley, see "RSSKL".]
[8] "A-levels" is an exam taken at the end of secondary schooling; it is the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A level). Passing this examination indicates a student successfully completed her/his secondary education.
[9] Inspectors and others clearly are concerned that Langley Hill will be the old RSSKL in a new guise, in which case the problems found at the old school may persist. (This, for instance, is presumably why inspectors objected that "Staff from the former school were on site during the inspection, 'with little convincing explanation as to why'".) The inspectors' concern may prove valid if Langley Hill follows "a similar curriculum" taught, in many instances, by "former RSSKL employees."
[10] Avanti is a multi-academy trust, an educational organization that operates multiple schools in conjunction with one another under a single board of directors. To date, all of the schools run by Avanti have been Hindu institutions. From the Avanti website: "The purpose of Avanti is to contribute to society through the systematic pursuit of human values and spiritual development ... Our vision was for a family of schools based upon our core principles of educational excellence, character formation and spiritual insight. We now have close to 2,700 students and 250 members of staff across our family of 7 schools ... Our current schools all have Hindu faith-designations and the next exciting phase for Avanti is to develop our group of non-denominational schools, underpinned by Avanti’s purpose to contribute to society through the systematic pursuit of human values and spiritual development." — https://avanti.org.uk/about/.
— R.R.