Upper School
The Upper School is for students age 14 (or turning 14 in the course of the school year) and up to the age of 18 or 19, when most of our students leave for university.
The Upper School curriculum is unique to the school, covering a wide range of subjects, though still underpinned by Steiner Waldorf principles.
It is at this stage that the intellect is fully engaged, with students thinking, exploring and learning for themselves. Material is presented to classes in lecture format, similar to university education. A multitude of subjects are offered, including:
- English language and literature, history, philosophy, politics, history of art, history of architecture, comparative religion
- geography, ICT, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, human science (anatomy and physiology), zoology, environmental science
- art, drama, music, graphic design, photography, carpentry, pottery, silversmithing, blacksmithing, stone carving, mosaics, stained glass
- gymnastics, swimming, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, climbing, mountain biking, hill walking, orienteering, Canadian canoeing
All students study all subjects all the way through for a broad and well-rounded education.
Subjects are offered in a main lesson each day within a three to four week cycle. Within this, a particular feature of our approach to learning is the ‘Three Day Rhythm’:
- Day 1 – The subject material is presented.
- Day 2 – The material from day 1 is recalled in detail, and students make an artistic drawing connected to the main theme.
- Day 3 – The students write an essay on the subject being taught.
This three-day rhythm is repeated on successive days. At this stage in a student’s school life, there is a substantial amount of homework for each subject.
We do not take state examinations at the school, as we believe that these are too narrow and the curriculum is too inflexible. However, we have continual assessment of every student in every subject, with regular internal assessments (tests) so that teachers can gauge the ability of students. All results are logged in the student’s file and a record of these achievements is provided at university interview. Students who may not be academic are nevertheless encouraged to immerse themselves in every subject offered, which helps them to become freethinking young adults, ready for the world.
The students in Class 12 are engaged in writing self-researched modules, which are submitted to universities in lieu of ‘A’ levels. So far no student has failed to gain direct entrance to university using this system, and the school is proud of its university success rate, in a wide range of subjects.
Some main lessons are offered outside the school, for example: a trip through Europe studying art and architecture, a residential main lesson in south west Wales constructing (and designing) a straw-bale roundhouse, a residential main lesson constructing a Proa (an Eastern out rigged boat, some 25’ long), and the design and making of a 24’ gaff-rigged sailing yawl.