Parent Handbook

Parent Handbook
2017-18

Address: Steiner Academy Frome
Park Road
Frome
Somerset
BA11 1EU

T: 01373 832804
E: [email protected]

www.steineracademyfrome.co.uk

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Contents

Contact Details.......................................................... .2
Welcome, Vision, Aims & Goals ................................ .4
Curriculum, Educational Practices & EYFS Info ………..7
Homework ............................................................... 17
Classes & Ages ........................................................... 19
The School Day ......................................................... 19
Schedule of Afternoon Play........................................20
Admissions ................................................................ 21
The Team ..................................................................22

Important Information

Policies and Forms .....................................................39
School Travel Plan (STP), Parking & Neighbours…..…40
Good Attendance………………………………………. 40
Punctuality ................................................................ 41
Afternoon Play in the Kindergarten ........................... 41
Emergency After School Care .....................................42
Absences…………………….……………………………42
Communicable Diseases .............................................43
In Case of Accidents...................................................43
Dress Code ................................................................43
Lost Property .............................................................44
Social Arrangements...................................................44
Parents’ Evenings .......................................................44
Surgeries & School Reports.........................................44
Contacting your Teacher............................................45
Home Visits ...............................................................45
Issues & Concerns.......................................................45
Poor Weather Plan ....................................................45
School Inspections & Advisory Visits...........................46
The PTFA ~ ‘The Hive’ .............................................46
Festivals ...................................................................47
Being Together & Working Together .........................48
Governing Body ........................................................49
School Term Dates.....................................................52
Home School Agreement ...........................................54
Food & Free School Meals .........................................57
Sample Menu & Snack Menu .....................................58

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Welcome, Vision, Aims and Goals

The School endeavours . . .

To enable children to have rich, positive and potent experiences
of childhood and learning;

To nourish and develop the pupils’ innate gifts and potentials,
so that they may become responsible,

free individuals who think clearly, observe perceptively
and act considerately and creatively for the good of the world.

Dear Parents, Carers and Friends,
Welcome to our school! The Steiner Academy Frome sits in the rolling greens of
Somerset, 12 miles south of Bath, on the edge of the Mendips. Bristol, Glastonbury
and Stonehenge are all within a 25 mile radius.
The school began life in September 2012 as the first Steiner Free School in England,
spent the first two years in the delightful Wiltshire village of Corsley, moved into a
corner of the building site in Frome in September 2014 and took the keys to the
completed site in April 2015. This autumn, 5 years after opening, 2012 seems such a
long way from here.
What lies at the heart of this school? What are the hopes, intentions and aims that we
hold for the children here? What, in essence, are we trying to do?

 to enable children to have potent and worthwhile experiences of childhood
and learning

 to nourish and develop the pupils’ innate gifts and potentials, so that they may
become responsible, free individuals who think clearly, observe perceptively
and act considerately & creatively for the good of the world

This is an ‘all-through’ school, meaning a child aged 4 can begin in the kindergarten
and spend the next 12 years at the school, in the same learning community, until the
age of 16. To begin with, the young children spend two years in a mixed-age
kindergarten. The early years’ phase of the school is completed when the children are
6 years old. The beginning of formal learning and the entry to school comes when
the children are rising 7. The school has a distinctive curriculum and pedagogy. Steiner
schools, just as is true of all free schools, are not required to cover the statutory
national curriculum or, if they do, to follow the precise order of coverage suggested
by the official subject order. As a Steiner Free School, a number of exemptions &
modifications to assessment arrangements have been allowed, from age 5 through to
age 12.
This year - 2017-18 - is our sixth, which makes us a kind of Class 1! The school sits just
above the thriving town of Frome, with the park running alongside our site. Over the
last years, the place has been through a major transition, from a much-loved
Victorian-era town hospital to a new school for the families of Frome who have
chosen publicly-funded Steiner education for their children.
This is a young school.

 this autumn, we have 346 pupils on roll, from age 4 to 14. Of these, 104
children are in the early years phase and attend one of our 6 kindergarten
groups

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 we have double-form entry for our 4s and 5s in kindergarten and our first
double Class 1, and single form entry from age 6+ to 13+

This is a growing school,
 currently, the range is Year R to Year 9 (Kindergarten to Class 8). In the years
ahead, the school will evolve into a two-form, all-through school for children
and young people aged 4 to 16
 the school will continue to grow, from the roots of early childhood, for the
next 10 years until full capacity is reached in 2025-26

This is a good school where,
 “pupils are well cared for . . . behave well and work confidently with their
teachers and each other”
 there exists “a strong culture of learning amongst staff and pupils”
 “staff pay unwavering attention to meeting the needs of each pupil”
 “children in the kindergarten classes thrive in an atmosphere of care and trust…
and acquire a firm foundation of skills and highly positive attitudes to learning”
 “the teaching is good…and responsive to how the individual pupil is learning,
and gentle in guiding…children to new experiences”
 “pupils carry their innate love of learning, exploring and thinking throughout
the day”
 “governors are fully focused on monitoring and challenging the school’s
performance” (Ofsted Inspection Report, February 2014)

This autumn, we have both new colleagues and some colleagues in new places:
Beth Honeyman is Class Teacher for Class 1 Ash
Helena Wittchow is Class Teacher for Class 1 Oak
Martin Gulbis is Class Teacher for Class 6
Phaedra Donfrancesco-Hoare is Kindergarten Teacher for Treetops
Mandy Thomas is Kindergarten Assistant for Secret Garden
Hannah Burton, Emily Hudson and Hannah Doe join our team of Teaching Assistants
Brendan Bayew is visiting teacher for Maths
Li Hongjing joins us as our first Confucius Classroom Mandarin teacher
Abi Allanson joins our Middle School Team as Learning Support
Emily Edwards joins our admin team as Receptionist

National Tests at 11:
 as a Free School offering a distinctive curriculum and pedagogy, the school
takes a different pathway through the material offered during Key Stage 2 of
the national curriculum programmes of study. At this age, the curriculum
material does not dove-tail with the programmes of study in the national
curriculum.
 under the terms of the school’s Funding Agreement, negotiated with the DfE,
the school administered the national tests in May 2017, in line with the practice
required of all state maintained schools in England.

Please read this Parent Handbook with care. It contains helpful, need-to-know
information about the school and the year ahead. It also endeavours to give a picture
of day-to-day life in and around site. Some items have been updated and others are
new. For news items and further information, plus guidance on the school’s policies
and procedures, please head for the school’s website, or contact the office directly.

Best wishes to all,

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Trevor Mepham ~ Principal

Operational Objectives for 2017-18

 To maintain whole-school attendance at +95% attendance and increase
attendance from 2015-16. To develop a positive working partnership with the
school’s newly-appointed Education Welfare Officer.

 To provide enrichment activities for more able pupils in English and Maths and
to provide additional support for slower learners.

 To have Steiner Waldorf curriculum-based assessment tasks in English and
Maths ready to trial by the summer term of 2017-18.

 To launch and help establish a pupil voice within the school, including the
creation and election of a Student Council trained by the Learn to Lead
organisation.

 To support the introduction of ‘secondary school’ Mandarin, in partnership
with the Confucius Institute at Southampton University.

 To introduce and develop an integrated, cross-curricular programme of
personal, social and health education (PSHE) and relationships and sex
education (SRE) in the middle school.

 To strengthen and disseminate the middle to upper school development and
transition process within the staffing team and with the parent-body.

 To begin the first Class 9 with a combination of Steiner curriculum and
effective GCSE teaching and choices.

 To invite & encourage a culture of volunteering in and around the school.
 To explore and establish a working relationship with a higher education

partner re: School Direct and classroom-based routes to QTS.
 To support & conclude the decision-making process regarding the setting up of

a Steiner Multi-Academy Trust.

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School Curriculum

The school’s curriculum:

 comprises a broad and varied programme of subjects, materials and themes,
including: the core subjects of English and Mathematics, Handwork & Crafts, Music,
Spanish and Mandarin, Nature Study, IT, Gardening and Science, History and
Geography, Games, Religious Education, Form Drawing and Eurythmy;

 derives from a curriculum framework, initially set down in a series of lectures and
indications on education given by Rudolf Steiner in the early 20th century. Over the
last 90 years, curriculum research and reflection on practice have served to refine and
develop the curriculum framework to make it relevant and appropriate in early years
settings and schools around the world;

 is part of an international curriculum framework that forms programmes of teaching
and learning in over 1000 schools in every continent, except Antarctica;

 is devised for an all-through school model from rising 5 to 16 years of age;
 includes a programme of assignments, assessment exercises, teacher-generated tests

and standard, age-related, ability tests in numeracy and literacy;
 is based on a body of knowledge and practice that comprises primary and secondary

sources;
 is integrated with the pedagogy and the approach to assessment, recording and

evaluation;
 relates to the age and developmental needs of the pupils. The educational approach is

founded on an understanding that each person develops through a sequence of
physical, emotional and cognitive stages and changes throughout life, particularly in
childhood;
 aims to balance breadth of content with detailed analytical focus across a range of
subjects and curriculum themes. The curriculum model is regarded as holistic,
combining artistic, scientific and practical elements in an inter-disciplinary and
extended approach. By extended learning is meant where the teaching and learning
resurface, or continue in other lessons or periods, in addition to the allocated subject
or lesson time. For example, the theme of ‘local geography’ may extend into music,
painting and English lessons on the same day, or at other times in the school-week.

Educational Practices

Kindergarten
The Kindergarten is for children who are rising 5 and rising 6. At this age, the aim is to
provide a wholesome and harmonious environment where the children can develop
safely and joyfully - a home from home. The work is focused on an indication, shared
by Steiner and others, that in the early years, children are learning through imitating
the world around them. This can be clearly seen in a young child who unconsciously
imitates adults’ movements and gestures; this is later expressed in their imaginative
playing. Teachers aim to provide an example worthy of imitation, and to nurture the
child’s imagination through providing opportunities for creative play, through singing,
poetry, stories and puppet plays. The mornings consist of baking, painting and simple
handwork and craftwork.

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Rhythm and repetition are considered important for a child’s inner security and
development. The mornings in Early Years follow a strong rhythm of structured
activity and freer, constructive play. The greater rhythms of the seasons of the year
are followed, and annual festivals including Michaelmas and Martinmas, Advent and
Christmas, Easter and Whitsun and the Midsummer Festival of St John’s are
celebrated, both in the kindergarten and later on, in the school.

THE STATUTORY EYFS AND EXEMPTIONS

The Statutory Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Birth – 5 years, applies to all settings
including ours. It sets out both learning and development requirements and
safeguarding and welfare requirements for children from birth to 31 August following
their fifth birthday. You can find out more about the EYFS in the Guide to the EYFS in
Steiner Kindergartens which you will find in your kindergarten or on
http://www.steinerwaldorf.org. You can also find a parent’s guide to the EYFS on the
government website: http://www.foundationyears.org.uk

Because there are areas which conflict with the Steiner Waldorf early childhood
principles and practice, we have received some ‘Exemptions and Modifications’ to the
EYFS Learning and Development requirements and Assessment regulations under the
‘Established Principles’ route. These are mostly to do with the introduction and in some
cases formal teaching of reading, writing, mathematics and use of IT/media and
electronic gadgetry. There is no exemption from the safeguarding and welfare
requirements. (See list of Exemptions and Modifications in the kindergarten).

School
Steiner practice embraces the idea of integrated education in which the core skills of
oralcy, numeracy and literacy are woven together with a study of science and an
immersion in the arts. Alongside the core skills and academic disciplines, experiential
learning - in the form of practical hand-work and land-crafts - and an exploration -
through narrative, biography and history - of the moral-ethical ideas, myths and truths
of diverse cultures and religions, form the cornerstones of the international curriculum
framework.

The Class Teacher Model and the Main Lesson Concept

The class teacher ‘model’ consists of a teacher working with a class for a period of
years (ideally, from age 6 to age 14). This class teacher model demonstrates the
importance given to cultivating positive social relationships within the class and the
school as a whole. The class teacher period constitutes an eight-year programme of
teaching and learning, taking the children from the early stages of childhood into the
throes of adolescence.

The concept of main lesson is fundamental to the Academy’s programme of teaching
and learning. Fundamentally, the main lesson begins the school day and is a 2-hour
session of differentiated elements of learning and experience set within an integrated
or holistic context. The main lesson theme, which runs for 3 – 4 weeks on a daily

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basis, includes the disciplines, materials and tasks of a broad and balanced curriculum.
The main structural features, outlined below, reflect the underlying philosophical
principles of the main lesson concept:

 rhythm: to support the academic; to make the ‘recall’ time more effective
 recall: ‘free render’: differentiation within the collective; diagnostic opportunities
 new content/learning
 ‘academic’: thinking, writing, computing, problem-solving
 practising and development of skills
 artistic components and tasks
 celebration of learning, review, ‘putting the lesson to bed’

In practice, the format and balance of elements within the main lesson varies
depending on the children’s age and the actual theme of the material. Generally, the
younger the class, the more time is spent on the rhythmical, artistic and experiential
elements and as the children proceed through the classes, greater emphasis is given to
the aspects of academic learning and the development of core skills.

The teaching of foreign languages is introduced from the age of 6 and the languages
offered are Mandarin and Spanish. Eurythmy - a form of artistic movement blended
with music and speech - is taught from the kindergarten onwards, while handwork,
drama, music, gardening and art are recognised as vital and rewarding channels for
learning and achievement.

Assessment of learning and progress focuses on a range of continuous and
contextualised assessments that reflect the range of abilities in the classroom and the
scope and detail of the programme of teaching and learning. Much of the assessment
work is locally-designed, primarily classroom-based and carried out by the teachers of
each class, who work collaboratively as a team of colleagues in a weekly, study-
business meeting. In addition, a series of recognised screening tests in aspects of
mathematics and English are conducted from Class 3 onwards. As part of its Funding
Agreement, the school is also required to administer national tests at age 11 and
submit teacher assessment data at ages 11 and 14. The school has also negotiated a
number of exemptions,
modifications and dis-
applications from certain
statutory requirements,
including the EFSP, KS1
teacher assessment and the
phonics spelling check.

Curriculum and pedagogy
are predicated on the notion
that lesson material and
educational method must be
in harmony with the generic
developmental stage of the
class of children and the

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development and progress of the individual children in the class. In the early years,
especially in the 4-6 years period, the educational focus is on physical growth and
movement, imaginative, child-generated play, imitation and rhythmical activities.
Formal learning and attention to aesthetic and affective faculties are prominent in the
‘heart of childhood’ from 7 to 12, while an increasing emphasis on analytical,
rational, cognitive capabilities provides the educational signature of the older classes.

Curriculum for Classes 1 to 8

Subject Lessons
All classes have timetabled lessons in Eurythmy, Music, Painting, Spanish, Mandarin,
Handwork, Games, Form Drawing and Religion. Practise lessons in Maths and English
are timetabled for each class. Classes 1 to 4 have a weekly lesson in Form Drawing
and classes 4 and 5 have choir once a week.
Eurythmy is an art of movement that was introduced into Steiner schools about 90
years ago. It is a specific subject and discipline taught in Steiner schools the world
over. At the Steiner Academy Frome, Eurythmy is a lesson for children in the
kindergartens (age 4 to 6) and the lower and middle school (age 7 to 14). A pianist
accompanies the teacher and the children through the lesson.
Through Eurythmy movements, the pupil can develop an awareness of the body and
a growing awareness of the physical and spatial environment. Music and language are
means through elements of the inner or emotional life may be expressed. As a
discipline, Eurythmy can provide a means by which language and music become
immediate and direct perceptions.
Music begins with singing, listening games, flute and simple percussion instruments.
Notation begins in Class 3. Singing is an integral part of all lessons, including rounds
and eventually part singing. A private tutor is available at times during the school
week for individual instrument lessons.
Painting lessons use simple techniques with quality materials, the work developing
over the years as the children change, and relative to their main lesson work. These
lessons enable the pupils to get a feel for colour as well as painting techniques.
Languages are taught initially through games, songs and poems. Reading, writing and
grammar are introduced from Class 4. Spanish and Mandarin are taught from Class 1.
Handwork takes the children through practical learning and a development of fine
motor skills by making their own knitting needles, learning to knit, sew and
embroider simple, learning to crochet, making simple garments and cross-stitch.
Making animals or dolls from their own designs, working with sewing machines,
learning about different fabrics designing and making a piece of clothing and/or
costumes for plays.
Religion lessons are taught throughout the school via stories, biographies and looking
at various religions. These lessons are non-denominational. Many themes are explored
with the pupils over the years including respect for human beings, aspects of
Christianity, the Bible and the major world religions.

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Games lessons include simple movement and cooperation games. In later school
years, games lessons will include gym exercises, athletics, gymnastics with equipment
and various team sports including netball, basketball and volleyball.

Form drawing is a lesson that appears in the lower or primary phase of the Steiner
curriculum and is sometimes referred to as dynamic drawing, or free-hand geometry.
At school, there are certain subjects – and form drawing is one of them - where the
emphasis is on harnessing and fostering skills and capacities that develop intelligence
through movement and form. Some of the aims of form drawing are to:
develop fine-motor skills and strengthen hand-eye coordination in preparation for
writing and cursive writing;

 enhance the powers of thinking in a non-intellectual way. In practical terms,
form drawing works in the direction of flexibility and adaptability;
concentration and accuracy.

 develop a facility for careful observation and cultivate an aesthetic
appreciation for form;

 develop a sense for rhythm – contraction and expansion – balance, symmetry
and metamorphosis.

Festivals
The school marks and celebrates a number of
festivals through the school year. Different
festivals in different parts of the world derive
from a variety of cultural, spiritual, religious and
natural roots. A well as providing opportunities
to reflect on the spiritual aspect of humanity,
festive events are also important in building
communities and understanding other cultures
and religions. In a more general sense, festivals
can serve to awaken the child’s capacities for
reverence and thankfulness and together with the
round of the seasons the festivals serve to engender a sense for the rhythmical ebb
and flow of the year.
The preparation and celebration of a round of festivals – Harvest-time, Advent or
May-time – forms a major part of the programme of learning in the Early Years part
of the school. As the children progress through the school, festivals continue to form a
part of the programme of social, moral, spiritual and cultural education. They are
celebrated in class and whole-school assemblies through craft activities, stories, plays
and art-work. Through the curriculum and in recognition of cultural diversity, festivals
from different cultures and parts of the world – for examples, Diwali, Hanukkah – are
studied and celebrated.

Class 1
There is a rhythm to the day, week and year, and the celebration of the turning
seasons and festivals have an important place. Teaching is pictorial and imaginative,
the aim being to stimulate the intellect through activity, rhythm and imagination.
Time is spent laying down good habits of classroom life and work, cultivating
reverence for nature, respect for others and learning to connect with and care for the

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children's environment. Writing is introduced using pictures, rhymes and stories, and
practised with form drawing and movement. Reading begins with the children's own
written work and familiar songs and poems. Listening and speaking skills are also
practised, with nature stories and fairy tales from around the world. Number work is
begun, again with pictures, rhymes and stories. The four number processes are
introduced and a start is made on learning times tables.

Class 2
Stories from the lives of holy people, legends and fables are the primary literary base
for writing, speaking and reading. Cursive writing is begun, and composition is
introduced, which aids spelling. Reading skills continue to develop, working with
word families, vowels and diphthongs, moving from familiar to new texts. Number
work builds with mental maths practise and longer exercises moving on to larger
numbers, number bonds, odd and even numbers, columns and carrying over. Free-
hand geometrical form drawing is introduced. Nature stories help the children to
understand the cycles of nature, reinforced by walks.

Class 3
The focus is on practical activities, especially farming, gardening and building, and
includes a building project. There are several trips in connection with these topics.
Stories come from the Old Testament, including Genesis. The children begin to write
full sentences from stories and activities, explore nouns, verbs, adjectives and
punctuation, and move on to descriptive and creative writing. In maths, practice of all
12 tables continues; long multiplication and long division are introduced, money
handling and change, and various forms of measurement - linear, liquids, solids and
temporal.

Class 4
The main lessons provide opportunities for more independent work, including
individual project work. Mythology is now introduced, especially the Norse myths,
and in form drawing Celtic knot work in particular is explored. In English, grammar
work covers the tenses and parts of speech; in maths, fractions are introduced, using
all four processes; measurements and area work is continued. There are main lesson
blocks on local geography, and local history, beginning with the school grounds and
leading on to trips exploring the area. Other main lesson blocks on "Human and
Animal" explore the form and functions of the human being, leading to an
understanding of the animal world, followed by more detailed study of some
animals.

Class 5
The curriculum provides rich fare and an impressive landscape to traverse. The
principal features are summarised below:

 in Maths, the primary themes are a continued study of common fractions and
the properties of numbers, with an Introduction to the decimal system and a
focus on geometry and the movement from free-hand to the use of instruments;

 the English, the lessons focus on elements of composition, grammar, spelling,
reading and creative writing;

 there is an episodic and lively introduction to the Geography of the British Isles
and Ireland;

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 the change from pre-history and mythic representations to recorded ‘western’
History is brought through the ‘histories’ of ancient civilisations, ranging from
India to Persia, Mesopotamia and Egypt and culminating in the emergence of
Ancient Greece;

 an introduction to Botany lends itself to direct observation of plants in their
natural habitat, via class walks and the sketching of different varieties of trees
and plants outdoors;

 the study of Ancient Greece is enhanced by a re-enactment of the Greek
Olympic Games. This event, held in Sussex each summer, brings together pupils
from Steiner schools across Britain and Ireland. The children prepare for, and
participate in a day of competitions in a pentathlon of discus, javelin, wrestling,
long jump and running. The qualities of grace, beauty and athleticism are
emphasised, and winners and non-winners are celebrated!

Class 6
In the Main Lesson programme, the more detached, critical thinking and awareness of
these young people, as they begin to move from childhood towards adolescence is
met by work in the following areas:

 Physics covers acoustics, optics and first experiments with static electricity;
 Life science looks at life cycles;
 History becomes factual and takes in from the Romans to the Crusades. Within

that scope, the formation of Christianity and Islam are viewed historically, too;
 In Geography, the focus will widen to study Europe (other continents are

studied in Class 7);
 in Maths, new concepts and techniques include business maths, triangle and

circle geometry and visual means of showing information
 in English, accurate description and accurate parsing of sentences meet that

critical consciousness with lawfulness.
Overall, there is a sense that each subject is branching out into its own syllabus and
methodology.
Another new aspect is Friday afternoon-school. Horticulture and resistant crafts enter
the curriculum this year, and we are really pleased to offer circus skills as well. Of
course, this means extending the timetable, and so school will finish at 3.30 p.m. on
Fridays for Class 6.
Class 7
As the turbulence of adolescence builds, the
curriculum subjects seek to involve it in
expression and guide its beauty and power –
but also encourage the mind to find security in
precision and measurement.

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The sciences are clearly divided. In Biology human digestion and nutrition, respiration
and circulation, reproduction and senses (the eye and ear) are studied. This leads into
discussion of care of the self and of others.
In Chemistry the study of acids and bases, cleansing and corrosion, pH experiments
and the lime cycle often includes soap making and the building of a lime kiln.
In Physics the dichotomy between the growing
physical strength of the young person and phases
of fatigue can be explored in working with
inclined planes, levers, pulleys to study and
reduce effort! The links between magnetism and
electricity are explored.
In Maths, formulae lead into algebra, while
Geometry includes , the Fibonacci sequences,
the golden ratio: ways of seeing harmony in the

world of
nature

and art.

A block
on Astronomy encourages visualisation of
complex, rotational concepts and also
complements the work on exploration in
history lessons.
In History study of the Middle Ages and
Renaissance leads to a block on the paths by
which Europeans “discovered” other cultures
and peoples. It’s a study of individual heroics
and catastrophic impacts and in Geography, it makes sense to study a continent, such
as Africa or South America, in light of this. Likewise in art, concentration on
perspective drawing to create the illusion of 3D space matches the development of
the Renaissance and engages with the question of individual point of view.
The English main lessons work with lots of creative writing, particularly in
exclamatory, descriptive and wishful modes, to explore ways to express this growing
point of view. Simultaneously, continued emphasis on
correct grammar and register help hone disciplined
expression. The possibilities and potential pit-falls of
contemporary technology are introduced via lessons
on IT.

By no means least, because both are integral to
matching content to growing inner sensing, in
Handwork the aim is to pattern, cut and sew clothing
and in Woodwork to carve bowls.

Class 8

Much of the curriculum in Class 8 relates to the study
of the channelling of invisible forces, from the swell of

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anger that produced revolutions and political change to the directing of electricity
through circuits, electromagnets and motors.
In English: the techniques of reporting are developed, including note-taking,
prioritisation, sequencing of events, reported speech, clear descriptions and succinct
accounts. They are applied to reporting scientific experiments and writing historical
accounts; imaginative writing, both narrative and descriptive prose, continues; meter,
rhythm and rhyme are explored in the study and writing of poems; a play is studied
in depth, culminating in a staged performance.
In Maths: the method of estimating to a certain number of decimal places is learned;
ratio, raising numbers to powers and finding the root; calculations of the surface area
of cubes, cylinders, pyramids and spheres; algebraic and arithmetical calculations,
including the theory of equations; working with more than one variable; the study of
linear and curved graphs; further work with brackets and positive and negative
integers; the calculation and construction of the five basic Platonic solids; developing
the proof of Euler's law; transformations and enlargement.
In Physics: Magnetism, electricity, electromagnetism, first circuit boards as introduction
to computer hardware; building a simple battery, a compass, a signal and a motor;
methods of producing electricity;
In Chemistry: industrial chemical processes involving starch, sugar, proteins, fat and
metals; biochemical tests; making usable soap; introduction to respiration and
photosynthesis;
In Human Biology: the mechanics of human bone and muscle; the skeleton,
In History: From the high Renaissance to the 19th century; reformation and
revolutions - the English Civil War, religious wars in Europe, the American and French
Revolutions, the American Civil War; the slave trade; the agricultural and industrial
revolutions; inventors, industrialists and social reformers.
In Geography: World geography: introduction to meteorology; global weather
systems and the study of different global climatic zones, and the differences in
lifestyle, culture and livelihood of their inhabitants; the global location of the natural
resources required for industry, and the economic, industrial and social effects of
harnessing them.
In Art: Watercolour painting, drawing and modelling related to Main Lesson themes;
black and white drawing; effects of light and use of shadow; colour perspectives;
calligraphy and design work.
In Handwork: Making and cutting own simple patterns and increasing confidence and
skill on the sewing machine.

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Introduction to the teaching of literacy and the approach to reading

In a Steiner school, the path towards literacy and
reading begins in early childhood. Following the
young child’s meeting with the mother tongue in
the first three years of life, the primary emphasis in
the kindergarten is to provide a rich and lyrical
immersion in the spoken word. Speaking and
listening – the development of oracy and auditory
competence – are regarded as the bed-rock of
literacy, both in terms of ability and disposition.

At the beginning of school, in the child’s seventh
year, the introduction to the teaching and learning
of literacy moves into a formal, technical stage, with the written word now joining
the spoken word of the kindergarten years. The ‘read’ word, or reading, comes on
the heels of the written word and to a large extent the two processes are interwoven,
although comprehending the written word comes after the written word has been
experienced practically. The approach to reading follows a clear path that calls upon
the combined help of a series of approaches.

Age focus Approaches
0- Language-acquisition Oracy and immersion in the spoken word through simple
6+ and pre-literacy skills dialogue, nursery rhymes, creative play, fairy tales, songs and
through listening and games.
speaking.
(Class 1) – the capital
alphabet - the lower
case alphabet.

7&8 (Classes 1 & 2) –  From a whole text that is laden with meaning and known
Writing and an by heart, to a knowledge and understanding of the
appreciation of the composite words and letters that comprise the ‘abstract’
elements of the parts, or the written mechanics and conventions of the text.
written word in  Speaking>writing what has been spoken>reading what has
language. been written.
The lower case  Reading by analysing a known text. Analysis beginning
alphabet - the cursive from a creative presentation of a written text.
alphabet - the printer Familiarisation with letter-shape, letter-sound and letter-
alphabet. name; identification of words from ‘known’ text, letters

from words.
 Synthesis of letters and letter combinations into the written
words; identification of phonetic structure of words and
non-phonetic structure of other words.

8+ (Class 2/3 onwards) –  Reading of teacher’s text from the blackboard
Learning to read for  Reading of pupil’s own writing in the ‘main lesson’ book
one-self. Reading on  Reading from a class reader, prepared by the teacher,
one’s own. Reading arising out of materials covered in the lessons

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quietly. Discovering  Reading out loud, reading in small groups, reading to a
the joy and pleasure teacher / teaching assistant / volunteer helper, reading on
of reading. one’s own in silence, reading a range of texts and materials
– guided choice and self-selected

Homework

A clear, positive approach to homework:

 contributes to a healthy ethos of learning, achievement and progress;
 supports understanding and communication between parents and teachers;

 enables the development of independent learning and study skills, reinforcing
learning and practice, as well as fostering confidence and enhancing self-
discipline;

 provides parents with opportunities to have a closer connection to their child's
education, as well as gaining a greater understanding of their child’s strengths
or difficulties;

 is not about another helping of “more of the same”, nor should it be designed
to create fatigue or induce unhealthy levels of stress, in children, parents or
teachers.

In the Early Years pupils acquire a level of physical independence supported by the
teachers and the educational approach. In a sense, the job of growing is homework
and school-work and vice versa.
Once in school (Classes 1 to 5), little by little, pupils begin to develop emotional skills
and independent working habits, and in the later years, students are encouraged to
become independent thinkers and researchers. A suitable amount of appropriate
homework, starting around Class 4/5, offers the opportunity for pupils to start taking
an element of responsibility for their work at home.
The timing and amount of homework will depend on the Class Teacher's assessment
of the needs of the class. Homework covers a multitude of potential tasks, from rather
simple, concrete assignments in Class 1 - “counting the number of doors in my house”
to project work a bit later - “A model dwelling” in Class 3 to “An animal that lives in
my garden” in Class 4. Homework begins on a more regular basis around the age of

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10-11, on a couple of nights a week. In the early stages teachers usually set homework
which is appropriate to the content and rhythm of the Main Lesson. It is important
that the pupils can both do it and derive some benefit from doing it.

Generally:
 Teachers introduce homework in such a way that pupils regard it as an integral
part of the curriculum.
 During the course of a pupil’s time at the school, homework will include a
variety of different activities and projects, including practising skills learnt in
lessons, writing, drawing, art and craft activities, simple experiments,
interviewing people, researching and collating information, preparing
performances, visiting local places of interest.

For more information, please refer to the school’s Homework Policy, available from
the office.

Will All Children Learn and Do Exactly the Same Things?

The simple answer is no. There are, of course, many highlights of the Steiner
curriculum that will always make an appearance in any year, Main Lesson or subject.
Even these may be taught in different ways and the children may well be asked to
work on the material in diverse ways and media.

There are also themes, material and activities that very much depend on the needs of
the children in a class; meeting these needs is the responsibility of each teacher. They
will also come to diverse conclusions and plan their work with the children
accordingly. It is important to understand that school trips and practical activities are
part and parcel of this judgement of needs, and will vary from year to year and class
to class.

As a group of teachers we work with different ages and groups of children. To aid this
work, we take
part in an
ongoing

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professional conversation – both in
meetings and as part of the appraisal
process – to create a balance between
the common interests of a class-group
and the needs of the individuals within
the group. We work to blend these
dynamics with the core principles of the
educational approach.

Classes and Ages

For those who are new to Steiner
education, the table below will help you orientate where your child/ren is/are in the
school, in comparison with a national curriculum school:

CLASS Equivalent National Curriculum AGE OF CHILD
Year Group
Mixed-age Kindergarten 1
Mixed-age Kindergarten 2 Reception & Year 1 4, 5 and 6 years of age
Mixed-age Kindergarten 3
Reception & Year 1 4, 5 and 6 years of age

Reception & Year 1 4, 5 and 6 years of age

Class 1 Year 2 6-7 years of age
Class 2 Year 3 7-8 years of age
Class 3 Year 4 8-9 years of age
Class 4 Year 5 9-10 years of age
Class 5 Year 6 10-11 years of age
Class 6 Year 7 11-12 years of age
Class 7 Year 8 12-13 years of age
Class 8 Year 9 13-14 years of age

The School Day

The school day begins at 08.45 with registration and the day ends at 15.30. In the
Kindergartens, the full session of learning runs from 08.45 until 13.00*. Parents and
carers are invited to pick their children up at the end of the morning session. For
those who work, or need after-school supervision for their child/ren, this can be
provided until 15.30.

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For Classes 1 to 5, there are some afternoons that are not scheduled for time-tabled
lessons*. When there is a lesson-free afternoon, parents and carers who are able to
pick their children up, may do so. For those who work or need after-school
supervision for their child/ren, this will be provided, until 15.30, as set out in the table
below:

Schedule of Afternoon Play Supervision

CLASS Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1 lessons Afternoon lessons Afternoon Afternoon Play
Play
Play Afternoon lessons Afternoon Play
2 lessons lessons Play
lessons lessons Afternoon Play
3 lessons lessons

4 lessons lessons lessons lessons Afternoon Play

5 lessons lessons lessons lessons Afternoon Play

6 lessons lessons lessons lessons lessons

7 lessons lessons lessons lessons lessons

8 lessons lessons lessons lessons lessons

* Please note: It is a deliberate policy of the
school to offer children gradually increasing
hours through Kindergarten to Class 5, rather
than full days, as followed by many schools.

The Lesson Timetable

From 08.45 until 10.45, there is a 2-hour
thematic lesson with the Class Teacher.
There is a 45-minute morning break until
11.30 and then two subject lessons in the
period before lunch. The lunch play-time
break runs for an hour, to 14.00, and the
afternoon timetable consists of two lessons, with the school day ending at 15.30. In
addition to the multi-disciplinary, daily thematic ‘main’ lesson, which embraces
English and Maths, the week contains the following blend of lessons:

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· Spanish and Mandarin
· Handwork and Games
· Music and Eurythmy
· Painting and Form Drawing
· Religious Education and Story-time

Admissions

The Steiner Academy Frome is an all-through school (rising 5 to 16+), managed by an
Academy Trust whose members constitute the Admission Authority that is responsible
for admission decisions in connection with the school. Day to day decisions are
delegated to the School Governing Body Admissions Committee. The Academy
provides Steiner education for children from age 4 (rising 5). The school is regularly
oversubscribed and there are normally waiting lists in operation for most Year
Groups. While the Academy Trust is very pleased to recognise the high level of
parental interest, it will resist unsustainable growth in class sizes in the interests of all
children at the school.
The way in which the teaching groups are organised is integral to the Steiner ethos
and approach to learning. For the first two years, children are taught in mixed-age
kindergartens to enable the younger children to learn through imitating the older
children. The design of each kindergarten teaching space is intimate and home-like in
response to the priority of avoiding overwhelming the young child. The Academy has
organized the 104 places in the two years of kindergarten into 6 groups of children, in
order to preserve and properly provide for the Steiner Early Years curriculum in full.

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The Team

Principal’s Office Vice/Acting Principal ~ Paul Georghiades
School Leadership Team Principal ~ Trevor Mepham (on sabbatical)

Kindergarten Teachers Paul Georghiades ~ Acting Principal, deputy
Kindergarten Assistants Safeguarding Lead
Sarah-Jo Robinson ~ SENDCo, Designated
Class Teachers Safeguarding Lead
Evan James ~ Finance and Operations Manager
Teaching and Learning Support Shannon Coggins ~ Admissions/Appeals,
Assistants Administration

Sue Wade
Nereida Olives
Phaedra Donfrancesco-Hoare
Tina Youngman
Heather Alexander
Rachel Theobald

Mandy Thomas
Luke Newman
Martin Scase
Kirsty Staines
Avril Druitt
Helen King

Helena Wittchow ~ Class 1 Oak
Beth Ash ~ Class 1 Ash
Daniel Jones ~ Class 2
Han Van Gelder ~ Class 3
Lily MacClelland ~ Class 4
Alan Abhaya ~ Class 5
Martin Gulbis ~ Class 6
Ann Gulbis ~ Class 7
Hazel Jarman ~ Class 8

Anita Bell
Stephen Glendenning
Lesley Britton
Francis Druitt
Chih-Ju Du
Ann Swift
Nadia Al Wagga
Jane Hudson
Emily Hudson
Hannah Burton
Hannah Doe
Abi Allanson
Aisha Kay

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Subject Teachers Rachel James ~ Spanish
Yuan Hollingsworth ~ Mandarin
SENDCo & Learning Support Hongjing Li ~ Mandarin
Teacher Diana Constantin ~ Eurythmy
Brendan Bayew ~ Maths
Administration Alan Abhaya ~ Religious Education
Paul Georghiades ~ English, Religious Education,
Finance Team Games
Catering Team Helen Mepham and Denise Jenkins ~ Handwork
Fiona Riley ~ Art / Choir
Minibus Driver Hazel James and Daniel Jones ~ Games
Ann Gulbis ~ Gardening
Site Manager Flora Alwyn ~ Circus Skills
Maintenance & Cleaning Lutz Krainhoefer ~ Woodwork
Sarah-Jo Robinson ~ THRIVE
Sarah-Joanna Robinson

Shannon Coggins ~ Administrator
Rachael Blyth ~ Admin Assistant
Nicki Maskelyne ~ Admin Assistant
Kathryn Mason ~ Admin Assistant
Lisa Scholefield ~ Admin Assistant
Emily Edwards ~ Receptionist
Evan James ~ Finance and Operations Manager
Denise Jenkins ~ Finance Assistant
Carol Kenward
Cally Herbert
Sally Hooper
Beth Lass
Julie Chilvers
Liz Clarke
Tatiana Bruton
Victoria Jone
Rachael Cave
Russ Ellingham

Mike McElya
Jamie Jackson

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Principal’s Office

Paul Georghiades (Acting Principal/Vice Principal and
English, Religious Education and Games Teacher)
I grew up in Cyprus, but I’ve been living in England for so
much longer that it’s only the hand-movements that give it
away. Twenty years of experience in Steiner education (class
teaching, upper school specialisms in English, History and
Drama) are informing my work here, but every situation is
unique and I’m very aware that this school is truly a special
world. My job description covers Teaching and Learning
and this will be my focus for the coming years.

Trevor Mepham (Principal – on sabbatical)
I lived with my family in Devon for 24 years. I worked as a
Class Teacher at the South Devon Rudolf Steiner School in
Dartington and then went into classroom advisory and
mentoring work. While in Devon, I spent 12 years working in
the Faculty of Education at the University of Plymouth,
teaching on the Steiner BA Programme & a European Masters
Programme. I have served as member of the Executive Group
of the UK Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship (SWSF) and also
as member of the Board of the European Council for Steiner
Waldorf (ECSWE). In September 2008, I became Principal at
the Steiner Academy Hereford – the first publicly-funded Steiner
school in the UK.

Kindergarten Teachers

Sue Wade (Kindergarten Teacher)
I have lived in Somerset for more than 30 years and have four
children. My interest in Steiner education started when I
became a founder parent of the Meadow Steiner School in
Bruton in 1993, where my third son happily spent his primary
school years. To feed my growing enthusiasm for the Steiner
approach to child development, I completed the Bristol
Steiner Class Teacher Training. I worked as kindergarten
assistant until the birth of my daughter, who also became a
Meadow School pupil. I later took on various supporting roles
at the school and also taught watercolour painting in the Lower School. In 2009, I
returned to the Early Years department and took on the role of Nursery Teacher,
working with three year olds, whilst undertaking the London Kindergarten Teacher
Training. I am now excited about deepening my knowledge and experience as
Kindergarten teacher and this new chapter in my life and in the life of Steiner
education in Somerset.

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Nereida Olives (Kindergarten Teacher)
I have had the pleasure of working with children over the last
14 years, as my initial background was in Play work. I am also a
qualified Handwork Teacher, and I very much enjoy sharing my
passion for wool and busy hands with the children. I enjoy
working with children because every day a qualified Handwork
Teacher, and I very much enjoy sharing my passion for wool
and busy hands with the children. I enjoy working with children
because every day they teach us to see the world full of
wonder, sharing what they are able to see through their eyes.
My passions are helping and engaging with its abundance in many different ways such
as Handwork, particularly dyeing Wool, Spinning and Felting, Foraging, Cooking,
Singing, Storytelling and Puppetry.
Phaedra Donfrancesco (Kindergarten Teacher)
Phaedra attended the Brighton Steiner School and has a
background in holistic therapies, arts, craft and dance. She lived,
and was educated in Denmark from age 13 to 19 and speaks
Danish. Her passion for early years Steiner Education was
rekindled by taking her children to the Steiner-inspired Meadow
School where she began by assisting in the Parent and Child
Group and providing cover for Kindergarten Teachers and
Assistants, and then becoming the Afternoon Care Leader. She
has two daughters at SAF. "I adore working with younger
children and I am really excited, and feel very privileged, to be working here at SAF."
Tina Youngman (Kindergarten Teacher)
It was a combination of family background, the
wonderful education I received at the Kings Langley Steiner
School and my deep love and interest in human beings and their
development that the impulse arose to undertake the Waldorf
Kindergarten Teacher Training Course in 2011. Since then, I've
studied and gained invaluable experience over the last two and a
half years working as an assistant in one of Michael Hall School's
kindergartens. I'm very happy to be a member of the Early Years
team at the Steiner Academy Frome which I believe is answering
the call of the times.
Heather Alexander (Kindergarten Teacher)
Having been trained at The Centre for Creative Education and a
Kindergarten teacher in Cape Town for a number of years,
where I grew my four children and had them nurtured in a large
Waldorf school there, my delving into Steiner’s work and
research grew and now continually goes deeper. It is my way of
life. On coming to England I found employment as an assistant
at South Devon Steiner School and led Afternoon Care for a few
years until coming to Steiner Academy Frome. I am thrilled to
be working at last, in a Steiner ‘Free-School’. This is how

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Waldorf schools started and so for me the way Dr Steiner intended it – for everyone.
The rich diversity of children is in itself part of their global education. How fortunate I
am to be here.

Rachel Theobald (Kindergarten Teacher)
I got involved with Steiner Education in the early 1990s as
a young parent when my first child was 18 months old. I
became a founder member of the Lancaster Steiner
Education Project which set up toddler groups,
kindergarten and then a Steiner School. I have worked as
a Steiner Kindergarten teacher in both Lancaster and
Clitheroe and I have also worked in mainstream
preschool education. I am deeply drawn to the work with
the kindergarten age child which can be demanding but
also rewarding and humbling.

Kindergarten Assistants

Mandy Thomas (Kindergarten Assistant)
I moved to Frome from Kings Langley, where I ran a
Steiner Inspired Childcare Setting for five years. This
was very successful and was close to the Steiner
School. I have become to feel very much at home in
Frome with this friendly community and being apart of
this lovely school.

Luke Newman (Kindergarten Assistant)
Having recently moved to Somerset, I am excited to be starting
a new chapter here at the Kindergarten. I feel privileged to be
able to live and work in a culturally rich and inspiring place with
such a strong sense of community. I am a father of two boys
who fill me with a joy for life. I am passionate about the natural
world – people, animals and plants, and I am trained in
Bushcraft and Photography. I look forward to sharing these
interests with the children at the Steiner Academy, Frome.

Martin Scase (Kindergarten Assistant)
I was born and raised in rural Hampshire and have a
background in care and support work with adults with
disabilities stemming from having an elder brother with
Cerebral Palsy. I'm a graduate of the Plymouth University Class
Teacher training and was a Class Teacher at the Alder Bridge
Steiner School and The Meadow School. I completed the Hiram
Trust 'Practical Skills Development Course' and subsequently

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worked as a Craft Teacher at The Meadow School, Bruton. I then spent a few years
home educating my two sons; my elder up to his GCSE year. I love working with my
hands and exploring the great outdoors and have spent the last few years researching
and facilitating craft activities with children of all ages. My involvement in
Kindergarten originates in my sons' experience at The Meadow School and of
working as occasional cover with Elisabeth Faulkner in the Kindergarten there. It's
with a real sense of the bringing together of many interests and experiences that I
have embarked upon the joyful, 'living in the moment' work as Assistant in Treetops
Kindergarten!

Avril Druitt (Kindergarten Assistant)
After studying my degree in Contemporary Crafts and my
PGCE I went on to teach Creative Arts and Basic Skills to
young adults with Special Educational Needs. I have 3
lovely boys and enjoyed a career in childminding while
they were in their early years. Some of my favourite things
are travelling, studying, helping others, making things,
playing guitar and piano, running and being in nature.

Helen King (Kindergarten Assistant)
Helen studied for an MA in translation and linguistics and
worked in Germany and Ireland in the fields of translation
and finance. She went on to teach English in a Spanish
primary school as part of a national Bi-lingual programme.
Helen spent five years in Spain and loved the lifestyle. Her
son was born there and they return as often as is possible to
visit his family and nourish the connection with his Spanish
roots. Helen's interest in Steiner education was kindled
through attending a regular Parent and Toddler group and
she was relieved to have found an education system that spoke to her heart. She went
on to attend an early childhood training course and ran Parent and Child Groups and
Woodland Groups at Exeter Steiner School for five years. During this time Helen also

assisted at a Nursery and in Kindergarten. She has also run
private language classes for children and adults.
Jess Bell (Kindergarten Assistant)
I started working at the Meadow School, Bruton, in
Somerset in 1996 and assisted in the nursery for a year and a
half. I then assisted in the mixed age kindergarten until I left
the school in May 2001 to have my son, Nathaniel. I was a
full time mother until I returned to work at the Meadow
School in 2006, carrying on working as an assistant in the mixed age kindergarten.
My son was educated at the Meadow School as I am very committed to the Steiner
philosophy of education. The latest course I attended was an NVQ in Children and
Young People’s Work-Force Level 2. I'm enjoying using my knowledge and skills in
the new journey with the Steiner Academy Frome.

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Class Teachers

Helena Wittchow (Class Teacher)
Raised largely in South Germany by parents deeply involved in
the Steiner movement, I have had the fortune to experience
Waldorf education in four different countries. Feeling how
different cultures and individual personalities bring to life this
dynamic form of teaching and learning has been both enriching
and reassuring. I come from a large family and as second oldest
have been actively interested in education from an early age.
Many predicted I would become a teacher, so to prove my
independence I completed a BA in English in New Zealand before completing a
graduate diploma in primary education. I taught in Christchurch, NZ, for four years
before moving to the UK a year ago. I am delighted to have a found my place here in
Frome, working with children in a creative and meaningful way is incredibly
rewarding.
Beth (Class Teacher)
A graduate of the Melbourne Rudolf Steiner Teacher Training and
the University of New England, I have worked previously as a full
time Steiner Teacher and Special Needs Educator in Australia. In
my previous roles I supported the development of the National
Australian Steiner Curriculum and worked with students requiring
specialised assistance to access the curriculum. I strongly believe
that the integrated approach that is the Steiner curriculum ensures
the holistic development of each child within our community and
provides each individual with the opportunity to become the best
version of themselves. In my role as a teacher I am passionate about inspiring students
to develop a lifelong love of learning.

Daniel Jones (Class Teacher and Games Teacher)
This is my first teaching position. Prior to teaching I was an
archaeologist and also worked in the environmental sciences. I
first recognised that I loved working with children, when I
taught fencing in several schools in Wales. Later I spent a bit of
time working as a tour guide at a Roman and Victorian gold
mine. There I found a joy for teaching adults and children, all
about the mines and the wider landscape. This led me to start
my journey into teaching and undertaking a two year full time
teacher training course in Steiner Waldorf education. Now I have settled into Frome
and have a wonderful class here at Steiner Academy Frome.

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Han Van Gelder (Class Teacher)
I trained many years ago to teach in the Government Schools
(similar to a BA) in Holland, but during this training I came
across Steiner Education. Very soon I was teaching my first
class 1, in Eindhoven in the South of Holland. It is here that I
brought up my two children. Since then I have travelled the
world by teaching many classes in Holland, Belgium and the
U.S. as well as a Class 1 here in England. Alongside my
teaching I have often mentored new teachers. Over the years I have developed in the
artistic realms of painting, drawing music and movement which is fundamental to my
Class teaching. I returned to England earlier this year when I married my English
wife. I am excited and happy to be here teaching at this school.

Lily MacClelland (Class Teacher)
I have always loved working with children and have
become particularly passionate about working with them
in the nurturing environment that is Steiner education. I
feel very privileged and excited to be a part of the Steiner
Academy Frome and I am very much enjoying my role as
Class teacher having previously been a teaching assistant at
the school since it opened in 2012.

Alan Abhaya (Class Teacher and Religious Education Teacher)
I spent 14 years teaching Religion and Philosophy in secondary
schools in Bristol, Bath and Wiltshire. Whilst I loved working
with the children, I often felt like I was going against the grain,
as the education system I worked in seemed only interested in
quantifiable results rather than the wellbeing of the children and
the quality of their experiences. My eyes were opened to
another way when my daughter started going to Laurel Farm
Steiner Kindergarten. I am completely committed to free
education and love living in the South West so all the threads
weaved synchronistically together as I moved to Frome just
before this wonderful school opened. I knew that I had to work here so I began
retraining to be a Steiner Class Teacher on the amazing WESTT course in Stroud. I feel
very privileged to work in such a supportive and inspirational school and community.

Martin Gulbis (Class Teacher)
I have worked for many years as a Class teacher, at Steiner
schools in Perthshire, Moray, and Aberdeen in Scotland, and
at Elmfield, in Stourbridge, and now (twice!) here at Frome.
I think this is the tenth class that I have been teacher for!
Each time it feels a new challenge, and a great privilege, to
guide a group of young people as they live and learn
together. Ann and I moved to Frome when this school

Page 29

began, five years ago. It has also been a move back into my family's story, as my
mother was born at Writhlington, where her father was headmaster, and my father's
first employment as a refugee from Latvia was as a miner at Midsomer Norton and a
forester at Longleat.

Ann Gulbis (Class Teacher and Gardening Teacher)
I’d like to say that I am really enjoying my work at the
Steiner Academy Frome. I was born in 1960 in Atherton,
Lancashire, and am the second of five children. I have been
teaching since 1982, when I graduated from Teacher Training
College in Manchester. I worked in state primary schools in
Manchester, Cambridge, London and Wolverhampton,
before retraining as a Waldorf teacher. I took my first class
through for six years, and completed my eighth year with my
second class, both at Elmfield School in Stourbridge. I would
describe myself as passionate about Education! I love working with the energy and
enthusiasm of young people, and appreciate the unique privilege the Waldorf teacher
has of accompanying their growth and development. I am married to Martin Gulbis
and am the mother of John and Emily. When I am not teaching I love to garden,
read, cook and go for walks.

Hazel Jarman (Class Teacher and Games Teacher)
I have been working in education for the past 14 years. Born
in 1977 and raised with Waldorf education, I became inspired
to teach after volunteering at two pioneering Steiner initiatives
in East Africa. After completing the Plymouth University
Steiner Waldorf teacher training in 2001, I worked in London
with children excluded from school. Engaging disaffected
young people and encouraging cultural diversity in
education continue to be of utmost importance to my work.
In 2003 I took on Class 1 at St. Paul's Steiner School in north
London and graduated with Class 8 in July 2011. I spent the next year teaching in
state schools in Sheffield, with intermittent cover for Waldorf schools around the
country. I am very excited to be part of the Steiner Academy Frome.

Teaching & Learning Support Teachers

Anita Bell (Classroom Assistant)
I have been working in education for seventeen years, initially as an
adult education tutor and then through running creative projects and
workshops for community groups and schools, during this time I was
a co-founder of a small, not-for-profit, co-operative. Before movimg
to Frome, alongside my self-employed work, I was an Extended
Services Co-ordinator, working with schools in East Devon to help
pupils access funding towards out-of-school activities. More recently I
gained an MA in Creative Writing, and as well as working in the
school, I am also a working poet. I have three children and two step-children; my
two youngest are pupils at SAF.

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Stephen Glendenning (Learning Support)
I have worked in education for ten years teaching and
mentoring children with Special Educational Needs. In my
spare time I also work as a book binder restoring antiquarian
books. I love visual arts and snow-ball fights.

Lesley Britton (Classroom Assistant)
After working at SAF for a year as a dinner lady, I applied for
and was thrilled to be offered the role of teaching assistant
(TA)! The staff at SAF have always made me feel valued, and I
am delighted to be working full time amongst such a warm and
supportive school community. Previous to working at SAF I
volunteered as a TA at other schools, ran my own pub,
travelled Europe with my kids and worked within housing and
recruitment in London.
Frances Druitt (Classroom Assistant)
I grew up in the leafy East Sussex village of Forest Row, where I
attended Michael Hall Steiner School, before going on to study
music and philosophy at university, followed by a PGCE in
secondary music and string teaching. After five years working
for Derbyshire music service I became a class teacher and music
teacher at Michael Hall. I then worked supply teaching in a
variety of very different primary schools, before relocating with
my wife Avril and our three boys to join the new project here
at Steiner Academy Frome.

Chih-Ju Du (Learning Support)
I have been an English teacher and a class teacher in
mainstream junior high school in my home country Taiwan for
the past seven years. Looking back at my teaching years I
remember the sweet joy of being a teacher. I was amazed by
the extent the students could reach in learning and their
courage to cope with difficulties. Their different learning styles,
motivation and attitudes often made me ponder essential
questions about education and reflect on my own teaching.
These thoughts led me to explore education that can be artistically presented to
nourish the soul of the children as well as knowing the children’s development in
depth. So here I am, working in the lovely Steiner Academy Frome and completing
the West of England Steiner Teacher Training. I feel privileged to be part of the big
family and to be immersed in this soul-enriching environment. I live in Bristol with my
husband, Jun, and have a garden to arrange, which is a brand new experience for me.
I also like to walk in the mountains and do Tai chi in my leisure
time.
Ann Swift (Classroom Assistant)
Although I have lived and worked abroad I have alway
considered Frome to be my home, growing up on a beautiful farm

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near by. I attended the local village school at Rode with my twin brother, from there
we went to Selwood and on to Frome College where I studied Accounting, Law and
Art. Before my children were born I worked as a sales manager in the transport
industry and as a general manager of an engineering company. I have always had a
passion for working with animals and now have my own small farm. I have 2
beautiful sons, so spare time is short. My oldest son Ashton went to a local village
pre-school, where I was a trustee and spent reception and class one at Beckington
village school. When the Steiner Academy opened he was part of the first class one
and I began to volunteer until 2016 when i became a permanent member of the
teaching assistant team. Devon joined the Tree Tops Kindergarten when we we’re still
in our temporary home at Corsley and is now in the lower school classes. I was part
of the founding PTFA group, we know as "THE HIVE" and also worked along side
Helen to set up the school shop. I now work as part of the learning support team and
I feel very privileged that both my children and I can be part of this amazing school.
Nadia Al Wagga (Classroom Assistant)
My nomadic life always seems to see me returning to my
home base in Bath. After leaving college I spent five years
working for the NHS in London as a Personnel Officer/Trainer.
I gave this up for what I considered the more important task
of travelling to Vietnam to see a total solar eclipse. I then
spent many years learning, practising and then teaching holistic
therapies. When I came across the Hawaiian massage Lomi
Lomi I decided to travel there to learn more (the tropical
island bit helped!). I ended up staying for 12 years in Hawaii
and created a new life on many levels. This time I returned with Rohan, my son. I
then spent three years taking the Steiner Teaching Training course and worked in
schools for four years as a teaching assistant, substitute teacher and learning support
teacher for children with special needs. So here I am using all three and very happy
and grateful to be spending my day with children.

Jane Hudson (Learning Support)
From an early age I wanted to be involved in nature
conservation. I grew up by the sea in Snowdonia and going
to Sussex University was a shock! Unfortunately, my Biology
degree was leading into the pharmaceutical industry. I
discovered Steiner Education just in time and my affinity
with children and nature clicked. Since 1995 I've worked in
four different schools in many different capacities from
toddlers to teens. I've also had a gap year in South America,
been a child-minder and had three children. As well as
ultimately teaching again I would like to train in SEN, mediation and counselling. I
love singing, cooking, gardening, arts and crafts, swimming and
camping.
Emily Hudson (Learning Support)
I've worked in education with children for the last 9 years;
whether as a teaching assistant, drama teacher or as a class
teacher at primary school level. I recently lived in Brazil for a
year and a half, where I discovered more inspirational and

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child focused forms of education - and much of this was in Steiner schools!
I'm now here in Frome embarking on a new life away from the city, open to the
many possibilities life has to offer...
Hannah Burton (Learning Support)
Initially from a background in Law and Finance, on returning to my
hometown of Frome in 2000 I initially worked at the Citizen’s
Advice Bureau before training as a homeopath ten years ago. It was
then that I first became drawn to Steiner's ideas on both medicine
and education. I have also worked in residential care for children
with special needs. I am currently undertaking Steiner Class Teacher
Training, and feel very privileged to be able to use my experience in
a supporting role at SAF. I have four children, with the younger two
currently attending SAF.

Hannah Doe (Classroom Assistant)
Before coming to Frome I was walking at the Academy in Bristol
teaching Forest School and assisting in outdoor interventions. I
make jewellery out of silver and wood and I love to sing – I
have now completed the Steiner Teacher Training course and
am looking forward to one day pursuing my path as a teacher.

Abi Allanson (Middle School Learning Support) I have been
a Class and Learning Support teacher for nearly 20 years, at
St Paul's Steiner School in London and the Rudolf Steiner
School Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, before moving here
this summer. I have three sons, the youngest of whom,
Seth, is now happily settling into SAF. I My (part-time) role
here is to offer some teaching support for those with mild
and moderate learning differences in the middle school,
drawing on my specialist literacy and numeracy background. Another aspect of my
job's remit is to help further develop the school's strategy and resources for meeting
the needs of all pupils as the upper school and GCSEs evolve.

Aisha Kay (Kindergarten Assistant) I am part of the Treetops
Kindergarten team, first joining the school in 2014, as a staff
member and also a parent. My family roots go back to Manchester,
with diverse origins including Irish and Jewish ancestors. I grew up
in the Stroud area, experiencing a country childhood, local schools
and connections via friends with Steiner Education from an early
age. Following an Honours Degree in Textiles, I worked at Ruskin
Mill, Nailsworth and travelled in Turkey as an apprentice to the hat
maker to the Whirling Dervishes. This also developed my interest in spiritual
philosophies. Between 2001 and 2014 I worked in varying roles in the Kindergarten
and Nursery at Michael House School, Derbyshire, also completing a Post Graduate

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Training in Early Years Education. I am passionate about being part of a movement
which highly values and gives ' time' and 'space' to childhood in a fast changing world.

Subject Teachers

Rachel (Spanish Teacher)
My journey into Steiner education has been a long and winding
one which ultimately stems from my belief that in order to
achieve a more sustainable way of living we must nurture the
relationship our children have with the natural world. My love for
the Spanish language began after my first backpacking trip to Latin
America as a student. From that point on, I fell in love with the
Spanish language and all things Latin American. Having the
opportunity to learn a foreign language is a great gift to give a child. Through
speaking another language we are not only able to communicate with people from
other cultures but we are also learning that there are other ways of living and being in
the world, different to our own.

Yuan (Mandarin Teacher)
I have been a teacher in state-funded schools for more than
ten years, having qualified in Special Educational Needs
(SEN) in my native Taiwan. Being an SEN teacher, I
developed a strong interest in getting to know autism
better, so completed a Master’s Degree in researching
autism within a special and inclusive educational vision.
Personally, I enjoy absorbing different wisdoms about life,
from various religious teachings, literature and philosophy, mostly written in my
mother language of Mandarin. Inspired by my reading, I have also been writing many
blogs of my own in both English and Mandarin. Encountering Steiner Education in
2010 was like meeting my ideal of what education should be like, and becoming a
Mandarin Steiner Teacher is the most beautiful integration of my profession and my
approach to life. Thank you all at SAF for coming to share this beauty with me.
Hongjing Li (Mandarin Teacher)
I received my Bachelor’s Degree from Southwest University in
2014, majoring in Chinese Language and Literature. I am also an
on-the-job graduate student, majoring in the teaching of Chinese
as a subject. I had worked as a Chinese teacher in China for 3
years and I joined CI University of Southampton as a qualified
Mandarin teacher from September 2017. My main responsibility is
to teach Mandarin in Somerset and promote Chinese culture.
Brendan Bayew (Maths Teacher)
I have been teaching maths at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 in
mainstream education for five years, and previously held
responsibility for Key Stage 5. My two little children attend SAF
and I have begun the West of England Steiner Teacher Training
course in Stroud. I look forward to working with all the staff and
parents and if you have any maths related questions please get in
touch.

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Helen Mepham (Handwork Teacher)
Having spent some years being a teaching assistant and
a handwork assistant, I completed the first intake of
the Handwork Teacher Training course in 2015 and
became the handwork teacher, currently taking classes
1-6. It's a great opportunity to share my decades of
experience and practice with children and I hope they
come to love handwork as much as I do.

Denise Jenkins (Handwork Teacher)
Working at SAF since 2012, I have had many roles from
part time in the office and kitchen to then full time
Accounts Assistant to Evan. This year I however take on yet
another role. After having completed the accredited two
year Steiner Handwork Teacher training course and spent
one year volunteering with Helen in various handwork
lessons I have now taken up the position of Class 1 Oak
and Class 3 handwork teacher. I am still very much
involved with the financial side of things at school, but it's
such a great thing for me to be able to walk away from my desk and teach the lovely
children knitting and crochet, something I am very passionate about.

Fie Scase (Art & Choir Teacher) After finishing my Fine Art
Degree in 1993 I continued my studies in Steiner Education
at the University of Plymouth. Since then I have been
involved in Steiner Education as a subject teacher and as a
parent and by supporting my husband as a class teacher.
For the last 11 years I worked at the Meadow Steiner
School in Bruton teaching a wide range of subjects,
including Art and Music. I have also shared the home
education of my two teenage sons.

Flora Alwen (Circus Skills)
I worked as a Circus Performer for over 10 years, specialising in
in aerial acts (silks, rope, hoop, static and swinging trapeze) My
work took me to events all over the world, including London,
Monte Carlo, Rome, Paris, and Toronto. I also taught general
circus workshops and aerial classes for children and adults,
alongside fitness, stretching and conditioning classes. I feel very
privileged to be able to teach in such a wonderful space, the
facilities in the Auriol hall enable our students to explore and
develop a whole variety of circus skills, and it’s wonderful to see them grow as our

circus curriculum unfolds.
Lutz Krainhoffer (Woodwork)
Lutz learned his skills with wood when he was a young lad from
his grandfather who was a sculptor. Lutz has a way with wood
that is fantastic to watch and the children he teaches come away
proud of what they have achieved in their lessons.

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SENDCo & Learning Support

Sarah-Johanna Robinson (SENDCo and THRIVE)
I first met Steiner education in Germany in 1994, working as a
volunteer and trainee Kindergarten teacher and subsequently as
houseparent in the Camphill community, Brachenreuthe. From
there, inspired by Steiner's guidance that education for children
with additional needs is to be based upon a comprehensive
understanding of typical child development, I moved to the
University of Plymouth degree in Steiner education. I have since
completed postgraduate training in Special Educational Needs
and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology, alongside taking two classes from Class I -
Class V at the Meadow Steiner School in Bruton. I am a mother of a teenage son and
in such spare time as I have, I have developed a range of sporting interests under his
enthusiastic guidance! I have been involved with Steiner Academy Frome since 2011
and I look forward to seeing it continue to grow and flourish alongside all of you.

Admissions & Administration

Shannon Coggins (Admissions & Admin Manager)
For a long time I have been passionate about free Steiner
Education. As a parent on a low-income myself, I know how
hard it is to have real choice about the education you want for
your child when you have limited resources. From the outset I
have been very involved in the project that has become the
Steiner Academy Frome; I was the Founder Governor
responsible for Admissions in the year before the school
opened, a role I have continued with as one of the Staff
Governors. I am very excited to be part of the team who are
‘midwifing’ the school into its full being. I am really enjoying
seeing, and supporting, the wonderful journey our children are
taking, from being so little when they arrive at the school, all the way into their early
adulthood. Before coming to Steiner education my background was in the Arts and
Counselling. I share my home with my husband Theo, my daughter Rosa and two
stray cats that have moved in on our family!
Rachael Blyth (Admin Assistant)
You'll find me in the office on Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Fridays. Sometimes you’ll see me providing cover support in
the kindergartens and classes too. It’s a real joy to be part of
this pioneering school, and I love getting to know the
children as the school expands each year. There’s certainly
never a dull moment in the office, and I’m very proud to be
part of the kind, fun, caring team we have here.

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Nicki Maskelyne (Admin Assistant)
I work with the Admin Team, part-time, so I may well be the
person who looks after your child if they come into the office or
the voice you hear at the end of the telephone. My first
experience of the Steiner education was whilst living in
Germany and looking for a Kindergarten for my eldest
daughter; we stumbled on it purely by accident and we haven't
looked back since. I have three children, Cerys, Seren and
Gethen who all attend the school and they certainly keep me
very busy outside of school.
Kathryn Mason (Admin Assistant)
I grew up in India where my parents worked in mission
hospitals, and I came to England in 1981 at nearly 17
years of age. Since then I trained as a nurse in The Royal
London Hospital and have worked in General Practice in
Surrey and Birmingham for 20 years prior to moving
back to India for 5 years where my husband Robert was
involved with two Indian charities. I am thrilled to be
part of the admin team. I value the deep care,
commitment and kindness I witness on a daily basis throughout the school and am so
pleased to be a part of the school community as a parent and staff member.

Lisa Scholefield (Admin Team)
I work in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays where
my responsibilities include doing the registers, answering
the phone, dealing with enquiries, reception duties and
looking after children. I also work as a practitioner in
Integrative Counselling and am a mother of three children,
Beatrice, Alfie, and Will. I feel privileged and excited to be
part of the Steiner Academy Frome and for my children to
have the opportunity of such a positive
and nurturing education.
Emily Edwards (Receptionist)
I was very excited to join SAF at the start of September 2017 and
have been blessed with the wonderful role of part time receptionist
and occasional classroom assistant. I have had various reception
/admin jobs in the past but this is my first exciting journey in a
Steiner setting. I am very much looking forward to experiencing all
that this wonderful school has to offer and I feel truly honoured to
be working alongside such amazing children and passionate, inspiring
staff. In my personal time I have a love for listening to/ playing music and also enjoy
country walks. However my very favourite thing to do is to simply spend quality time
with my family making happy memories. I live in Frome with my partner and our
daughter, who attends SAF. I can happily report that she is Kindergarten's number one
fan. I look forward to meeting you all with a warm welcome and a big smile anytime
you visit us at SAF.

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Finance Team

Evan James (Finance and Operations Manager)
I’ve worked at SAF since 2012 as Finance and
Operations Manager. I oversee all the money, the
buildings and all that supports the education. I am
half Welsh and half Irish, love music (The Fall)
mountains (Fan Brycheiniog) and rugby (Wales and
Ireland obviously) and have 4 lovely children - 3 girls
and a boy. I am also lucky enough to work in the
same place as my partner Denise.

Denise Jenkins (Accounts)
Working at SAF since 2012, I have had many roles from
part time in the office and kitchen to then full time
Accounts Assistant to Evan. This year I however take on
yet another role. After having completed the accredited
two year Steiner Handwork Teacher training course and
spent one year volunteering with Helen in various
handwork lessons I have now taken up the position of
Class 1 Oak and Class 3 handwork teacher. I am still
very much involved with the financial side of things at
school, but it's such a great thing for me to be able to walk away from my desk and
teach the lovely children knitting and crochet, something I am very passionate about.

Site & Maintenance Team

Mike McElya (Site Manager/Caretaker)
I joined the Frome Steiner Academy in April 2015 after
spending most of my working life running Sunshine
Drumming & Count Me In. I’m very happy at the school,
there’s always something new and exciting to be involved
with, whether it’s unblocking a loo, replacing a door or
waking up to a notice that the fire alarm has been set off at 2
a.m. It’s all in a day’s work as Site Manager and I wouldn’t
have it any other way. It’s an exciting job where no two days

are the same.
Jamie Jackson (Maintenance & Cleaning)
Jamie Jackson is part of the school maintenance team and has been
helping take care of the site since 2013. Having a keen interest in all
things music, building a music studio and a sound system means that
construction, DIY and maintenance are second nature. Jamie manages
an independent dub record label and is writing a solo album. Jamie
currently resides in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset just a stones
throw from the bustling city lights of Bristol.

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Important Information

Policies
The Governing Body is responsible for all the policies at the school. Some policies are
available on the website here. If you would like a copy of these or any other policies
please contact the Office [email protected].
Forms
As with all schools there will be various forms that need filling in from time to time.
At the start of school we will ask you to fill in our ‘Starting School’ form and our
‘Getting to know you’ form. The other forms you will regularly encounter are the
Home School Agreement and consent forms for school trips. Occasionally we will
send you a sheet asking you to confirm your contact and address details. This allows
the administration team to have up-to-date records for you and your children. Please
fill in all the forms provided and return them promptly to the Reception Office.
In case we need to contact you, please advise the Office of any change of address or
telephone number as soon as they occur. It is imperative that the school is able to
contact you immediately should the need arise.

The Outside Classroom in
Construction

Page 39

The School Travel Plan (STP), Parking and Neighbours
Please be tolerant, understanding and cooperative regarding the difficulties of
travelling to, and parking at the school. For those of you who drive to school, please
park with thought and care for the local community who live around the park.
Do not: park on yellow lines, or across people’s drives, or immediately by zebra
crossings, or at pull-in bays. We continue to work to gain access for a drop-off and
pick-up facility. And a reminder that:
The council have agreed a fee for a parking permit for the Cheese and Grain
car park for those interested in park and stride, or for those of you using the minibus
service. It would only be necessary for the 1.00 p.m. or the 3.30 p.m. pick up
as parking charges do not apply before 9.00 a.m. There would be a one-off charge
for the school year of £75.00 (a discount of 60%). If you would like to purchase one
of these permits please let the office know and we will arrange it through the school.
Please consider Park Road to be a pedestrian area for you and your children. Please
walk on the pavements, not in the roads.
We do want to support those older children who are allowed to walk home
unaccompanied, but we would ask that the school community looks out for them and
support them and bring us any concerns should they arise. Children and young people
should not climb on the concrete building decorated with trees that is between Mary
Baily and Victoria Parks.

 if your child/ren get a place on the minibus, please be punctual, as the bus will
leave and arrive at the appointed time

The full School Travel Plan can be viewed on the school’s website and is available
from the School Office on request. It includes up to date relevant information about
the school’s plans for sustainable transport and ongoing measures the school are
taking for the health and well-being of pupil’s, staff, neighbours and the wider Frome
community.
Good Attendance
One of the important things that parents and carers can do in relation to school is to
make sure the children come to school regularly and on time, unless, of course, a child
is unwell. Regularity and continuity of the learning process are key-notes of the
educational approach and programme. Each new subject or element of a subject is
introduced once during a child’s school years. The kindergarten teachers, class teachers
and subject teachers work extremely hard to bring the children carefully prepared
lessons presented in a creative and lively manner. It is not the same for the material to
be recapped, or to be told again at a later date. It is important, therefore, that your
child does not miss school unnecessarily.
You will be aware that ensuring children’s attendance at school is a statutory duty on
parents and carers. In turn, the school has a duty to monitor that children attend
regularly. This is important both from the learning perspective, as well the duty for
care and safeguarding.

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Attendance 2016-17

In our fifth year as a school:
 Whole-school attendance was 95.65% (a slight increase on 2015-16)
 Unauthorised absence was low at 0.37%

Punctuality
It is essential for the rhythm of the
day that children are in the
classrooms, ready to begin, at 8.45
a.m. so that main lessons can start
promptly.

Afternoon Play in the Kindergarten
The purpose of Kindergarten
Afternoon Play is to care for the
children who stay on at school
outside of the Kindergarten hours of
operation. There is no formal
teaching; the aim is to provide a
safe and caring environment where
the children may socialise and learn
to interact appropriately. The
sessions run from 1.45 p.m. to 3.30
p.m. In afternoon play the children stay on in their Kindergarten groups.

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Page 41

in a designated Kindergarten room. In the garden the children have time for free play,
using the outside play equipment (planks, boxes, buckets, spades, saucepans, wooden
spoons etc.) to build and create imaginary settings for their games.

It is the school’s policy to offer children gradually increasing hours at school through
Classes 1 to 4, rather than full days, as followed by many schools. For those parents
who work, have other commitments, or who choose it for their children, afternoon
care in the school provides opportunities for the children to interact with their
classmates and the afternoon care team, through play, games, craft activities,
gardening (depending on the season!) and looking after the school. The emphasis is
on learning that is social and experiential. The sessions run from the end of lunchtime
– 2 p.m. to the close of the school-day at 3.30 p.m.
Emergency After School Care
Teachers are only on duty until 3.45 p.m., so children must be collected by then.
Children who are not collected by 3.45 p.m. should make themselves known to the
teacher on duty or office staff. Once necessary telephone calls have been made, and if
these children have still not been collected when the last teacher leaves, they will be
taken care of in the Reception area. Please note this is only for emergencies. Please
inform the Office if you know you are going to be late.

Absences
If your child is unwell, please phone the school first thing in the morning. This should
be supported by an email (or signed note) to be sent to the school office
([email protected]) on the first day on an absence and on the day
the child returns to school. If your child becomes unwilling to attend school, please
discuss this with the Class Teacher or Kindergarten Teacher as soon as possible.
Wherever possible, medical and dental appointments should be made out of school
hours. When this is not possible, teachers would appreciate a week’s notice.
If you want permission to miss school, please make the request two weeks in
advance, to the Principal, on the relevant form, which is available from the Office. In
exceptional circumstances, absence may be authorised. The following circumstances
are likely to lead to an absence being authorised:

1. Medical circumstances
2. Family bereavement
3. Educational activity elsewhere – e.g. a music recital in school-time
4. Exchange visits to schools in other countries
Please do not arrange holidays in term
time. The school is not in a position to
authorise holidays in term time and so
holidays in term time will normally be
considered as unauthorised absence.
In 2010-2011, the overall school
attendance across England stood at 94.2%.
If a pupil has an attendance record that is

Page 42

below 90%, this is considered to be ‘persistent absence’ and schools are expected to
intervene, unless the reasons for low attendance are known and legitimate. The
government has recently asked OFSTED to set specific, timed targets for improving
attendance in schools where it is low.
High attendance benefits the pupils in multiple ways. The families of those children
who have an attendance rate that suggests ‘persistent absence’ will be contacted by
the Kindergarten or Class Teacher to establish the reasons for this.
Communicable Diseases
In general, children who are unwell with an infectious disease should not be at
school. They should only return once they are better and pose no risk of infection to
others. Information on incubation period, period of communicability, and period of
exclusion from school will be held in Reception. Please call if you require advice.
For sickness and diarrhoea bugs we request that parents keep their children off school
for 48 hours, although a degree of common sense can be applied. For illnesses such as
Chicken Pox etc. the school will send out information every time we have a case or
suspected case reported to the office.
Head-lice are a constant pest and in order to be vigilant the teachers all have head-lice
letters in their classrooms with information about how to get rid of head-lice. They
will send a letter home with your child should they see a child persistently itching
their head.
In Case of Accidents
Minor cuts and scrapes are dealt with by staff in
the Reception Office. For more serious cases
the Academy has staff trained as First Aiders. All
other cases will be referred to the Casualty
Department at Frome Community Hospital
(01373 454740).
Dress Code
The Academy has a Dress Code to support
pupils in their work and learning at school and
to enable the children to have full access to the educational programme. The dress
code is also to help pupils learn a healthy approach to clothing and to facilitate an
understanding of behaviour and dress in a range of social contexts. We emphasise the
suitability of clothing; firstly, so that the children’s education is not disrupted by
inappropriate clothing, and secondly, in order that the health and safety of the pupils
is not compromised by their clothing.

 Clothing must be appropriate for school work and activities. It must be decent,
clean and consistent with health, safety and hygiene. Torn clothing is not
considered suitable for school-work.

 Garments that are dominated by large logos, large pictures and/or loud lettering
are not appropriate school-clothing. Visible labels and logos should not be larger
than a small strip or a 50p coin.

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 Pupils should wear sensible shoes or footwear, appropriate for school and the
activities of the day.

 During Eurythmy lessons hands must be unencumbered by long sleeves, with no
baggy or excessively long trousers, as pupils must be able to move freely.

 Long hair must be held away from the face, this applies to both boys and girls,
and be tied back for certain lessons, e.g. in movement lessons, workshops or in
cookery. If needed, children should keep a hair band at school for this purpose.

 Throughout the school, neither girls nor boys should have any underwear
showing, nor should they have bare midriffs or chests.

 Jewellery should not be worn. Those with pierced ears may wear studs only.
 Make-up and hair-dye are not allowed. This includes no nail varnish. A bottle of

varnish-remover is kept in the office and children will be asked to remove nail
varnish if it is worn to school.
If there are lapses in following these guidelines, the Kindergarten or Class Teacher will
have a conversation with the pupil and if this is not sufficient, she or he will seek to
talk with the parents and carers.
Lost Property
Please clearly mark your child’s name in all items of clothing including coats and
wellington boots. Clothing found left around the school will be kept in a lost
property room in Chantry House. Small/valuable items will be locked in a drawer. If
the clothes mountain grows too high, unclaimed items will be taken to be recycled in
local charity shops.
Social Arrangements
Most of us will know that when our children stay overnight with friends they tend to
stay up late, leading to over-tiredness. In order not to disrupt the child’s school work,
we ask that such arrangements are made only at weekends.
Parents’ Evenings
These are held once a term and provide an opportunity for teacher and parents to
discuss the children’s schoolwork, the curriculum and the children’s stage of
development. These meetings serve to deepen parents’ understanding of their child’s
education and how it can best be supported from home. Parents are urged to make
every effort to attend regularly.
Surgeries and School Reports
Most teachers also offer ‘surgeries’ when parents can meet individually with the
teacher to discuss their child’s progress. A full school report for each child is issued at
the end of the Summer Term.
Contacting your Teacher
Each class teacher will have their own “best times” for you to contact them outside
school hours, and these should be respected. First thing in the morning is NOT a
good time to talk to your teacher about your child unless it is of absolute urgency.

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Home Visits
In the younger classes each Class Teacher will wish to visit their pupil’s home at some
point. This helps to give a more complete picture of each child and fosters a mutually
supportive connection between parents, teacher and child.
Issues and Concerns
Sometimes you may have a concern or a question that is worrying you and we
welcome you bringing these to our attention. If you have a concern about your child,
the first point of call is the Teacher. Please feel free to contact them directly. If your
concern is about the policies or the school in general please contact the office and we
can arrange for you to talk to the best person. The school will aim to resolve any
issues informally, however, on occasion you may wish to raise a more formal
complaint with the school. All complaints will be taken seriously and we will follow
the guidelines within the Complaints Procedure which is available from the school
office.

Poor Weather Plan
We have a plan in place in case any weather conditions mean that we can’t open or
fully open school. If it looks like there is going to be a problem we speak with people
who are living near the school to help
assess the situation. As well as getting
children safely to school we also need to
be sure that enough staff can get to
school safely, and some are travelling
from quite a distance. We will make a
decision as early as possible and then will
email you all, phone/text you all, add
details to the website, leave an updated
message on the school answer machine,
and notify the Council and local radio
stations. We will need to make a decision
each morning and so will repeat the
process the next day.
School Inspections & Advisory Visits
Prior to opening, the school received an Ofsted Registration inspection. Steiner
schools in the independent sector are inspected by the school inspectorate, under
what is known as Section 162A. Publicly-funded Steiner schools are inspected by

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Ofsted under a different schedule, known as Section 5. In the first and second year,
the school received monitoring visits from an Education Adviser, appointed by
the Department for Education (DfE). Then, in February of our second year, the school
received a Section 5 Inspection visit from Ofsted. The school was judged to be a
‘good’ school in all categories. The school is a member of the Steiner schools’ network
in the UK – the Steiner Waldorf Schools’ Fellowship – and each year, on a regular
basis, we receive advisory visits from Kindergarten and Classroom Advisers –
experienced teachers and teacher educators.
The PTFA – ‘The Hive’
The Hive is the Parents, Teachers and Friends Association for SAF. It was formed in
2013 by the school community and is open to everyone: from parents of children at
the school; teachers and staff; other family members; to friends and supporters of the
school. Our goal is to nurture and develop our new community whilst also raising
much needed additional funds.
We organise social, educational and
creative events to inspire our community
and bring them closer together, as well as
fundraising to provide the school with
items from its wish list. A small shop was
established in 2013 that has been so
successful that it is soon to become
independent of The Hive.
In a community meeting in February 2013
we all decided how funds would be
allocated:

50% Principal’s wish list
20% Hive Funds
15% Support school community
events
10% Bursary Fund
5% Charity donation
The Committee is required to include
three main roles: Chair, Secretary
and Treasurer. Everyone from the
community is invited to join the
committee and be part of the
meetings, we would like to encourage everyone to come and have their say. Each
year the three main roles will step down and anyone is welcome to step forward.
If you would like to get involved or make a suggestion, please send an email to
[email protected]

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Festivals
The school marks and
celebrates a number of festivals
through the school year.
Different festivals in different
parts of the world derive from
a variety of cultural, spiritual,
religious and natural roots.

A well as providing
opportunities to reflect on the
spiritual aspect of humanity,
festive events are also
important in building
communities and
understanding other cultures
and religions. In a more general sense, festivals can serve to awaken the child’s
capacities for reverence and thankfulness and together with the round of the seasons
the festivals serve to engender a sense for the rhythmical ebb and flow of the year.

The preparation and celebration of a round of festivals – Harvest-
time, Advent or May-time – forms a major part of the programme of learning in the
Early Years part of the school. As the children progress through the school, festivals
continue to form a part of the programme of social, moral, spiritual and cultural
education. They are celebrated in class and whole-school assemblies through craft
activities, stories, plays and art-work. Through the curriculum and in recognition of
cultural diversity, festivals from different cultures and parts of the world – for
examples, Day of the Dead, Diwali, Hanukkah – are studied and celebrated.
Being Together and Working Together

Advent Spiral

Advent Spiral

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At the back of this Handbook, you will find the Home-School Agreement. We will
send a copy of this to each family at the beginning of Kindergarten and in Class 1.
When we send this out to you we ask you to check the form, sign it and return it to
the school office.
Alongside the school’s Behaviour Policy, we have developed a set of rules and
guidance for being together and working together. These rules have been shared with
the children and reference is made to them, as needed, on a day-to-day basis. The
leading thoughts are both aspirations and concrete principles shared by societies,
cultures and religions across the world and throughout the ages.

“Treat other people as you would wish to be treated yourself.”
The Golden Rule

(Confucius and others)
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9

 In our work and in our play, we do our best and help each other to do their best.

 During lesson times and at the beginning and the end of school, we walk around
the school.

 We begin and end lessons together with a proper greeting Advent Spiral

and farewell.

 We sit and stand as requested by the teachers and
assistants.

 During the lessons we listen to the teachers, assistants and each other; a pupil will
raise a hand to show that they wish to speak.

 When we haven’t heard something clearly, we say ‘Pardon?’, or “I’m sorry?”

 Toilet breaks take place at the teacher’s say-so, or individually, as guided by the
teacher (e.g. a hand-gesture, or by use of a ‘necklace’).

 We help to keep the school in good order.

 We look after each other and take care of the things that belong to the school, to
others and to us.

 We keep our desks tidy and clean – outside and inside.

 We look after our school books and materials. We do not scribble on the books
or deface them.
 We help to keep the cloakrooms clean, The Advent Spiral

with coats and boots tidy.

 We help to clear away the tables and
plates at lunchtime.

 We do not hit or kick or bite anyone at
any time. We do not use unkind or rude
words, or language to each other, either at

school, or outside of it.

Chinese New Year 2017

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Governing Body

The school’s Board of Governors has the overall responsibility for the school and a
duty to:

 determine the vision and strategic direction of the school
 ensure that the school meets its statutory requirements
 know the strengths and weaknesses of the school and
 support and challenge the school’s leadership
At the Steiner Academy Frome the Governing body is made up of:
 Chair of Governors
 Vice Chair of Governors
 1 Steiner Waldorf Schools’ Fellowship (SWSF) Rep (currently unfilled)
 2 Staff Governors
 2 Parent Governors
 Safeguarding Governor
 SEN governor (Parent Governor)
 The Principal

The Governing Body has 6 Sub-Committees to
perform the business:

 Teaching and Learning
 Finance & Premises
 Admissions
 Travel
 HR
 Child Safety & Welfare
The current Governing Body members are:
 Guy Marson (Chair) Founder Governor
 Alex Marson (Vice Chair) Founder Governor
 Paul Georghiades (Acting Principal)
 Sal Steeple (Safeguarding Governor)
 Marty Van Duin (Governor)
 Shannon Coggins (Staff Governor)
 Alan Abhaya (Staff Governor)
 Clare Hein (Governor)
 Agnes Javor (Governor)
 Anna O’Kane (Parent Governor

and SEN Governor)
 Lara Ellender (Parent Governor)
Evan James - Clerk to the Governor

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Introducing…

Guy Marson (Chair of Governors) Guy currently splits his time
between running a digital marketing agency in London, being
Chair of Governors of the school and working on his farm in
Somerset. He has three children, two of whom are at the
school, and when he is not tied up with any of those, you will
find him in the workshop nailing his thumb to a plank of wood.

Alex Marson (Vice-Chair of Governors) Alex is one of the
founders of SAF and currently has two daughters, Hattie and
Ephie, and one son, Orin, at the school. He lives with his wife,
Nicola, and their three children on a smallholding, which they
are learning to farm biodynamically. Alex also runs his own
management consultancy business.

Sal Steeple (Founder Governor) I am honoured to be a
founder and governor at SAF. Married with two children,
our son Noah is at SAF. I bring to my role as governor a 22
year professional background in social work, Child Protection,
Looked After Children, Fostering and Adoption. I currently
work as Children's Services Development Manager for a
national children’s charity where I manage the fostering and
adoption services, and as a Social Care Consultant.
Marty Van Duin (Governor) was born in Glencraig Camphill
Community, Northern Ireland. He grew up in Camphill
Communities in both Northern Ireland and England,
attending the Kings Langley and Holywood Steiner Schools
until the age of 16. Having enjoyed a gap year travelling and
working in Southern Africa, he returned to study Geology and
Environmental Geosciences at University of Wales Cardiff.
After a short stint managing a farm in East Anglia, Marty
joined the Royal Navy for pilot training in 2000. Flying both
jets and helicopters, he has enjoyed a varied operational career. A Lynx and latterly a
Wildcat pilot instructor, he now holds the position of Senior Pilot at 825 Naval Air
Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton.
As a previous Management Committee member with the Bruton Steiner School, he
was involved, in a very small part, in the original impulse which brought about the
genesis of the Steiner Academy Frome. At home, Marty is married to Hjördis. He has
four children, and the family live in Langport, Somerset.

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