Steiner History

This section contains a wealth of information about the Steiner education system as well as details about the school.

Here are some quick facts about both:

• The Steiner approach has been proven over eight decades. Steiner education is now the largest independent educational movement in the world.
• There are over 958 Steiner Schools and over 1,600 Kindergartens in 56 countries. 
• There are 30 Steiner Schools and 56 Steiner Kindergartens in the UK alone. 
• We are supported by 60 teacher training institutions.
• We are affiliated to the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship.
• Our school is situated on a beautiful site just outside Holywood.
• We are co-educational, independent and integrated, welcoming students from all backgrounds.
• We have been thriving since 1975.
• We school students from Pre School (3 years) and Kindergarten right through to Class 11 (17 years), this means no disruptive change of school or relocation is necessary.

History in Holywood

The Holywood School opened in September 1975 in the Glencraig Camphill Community. There were ten children and four full-time staff. By the end of the first year it had grown to 20 children. It moved to its present site at 'Highlands' on the Croft Road, Holywood in August '76. The official opening of the school was celebrated in June 1977, with many guests and well-wishers.

Initially 'Highlands' was too big and two families lived in the extra rooms. However this soon changed and in 1978 plans were made for a separate kindergarten. The building was completed in 1979 and is now the school hall.

Soon after the kindergarten was established, the upper school was started and new class rooms were required. Life for the upper school began in what is now the Music room.

More temporary buildings were erected to accommodate the growing school and eventually we had seven such classrooms. In December 1987, plans were made for 12 new permanent classrooms, a new Kindergarten and a hall. The construction was undertaken in phases and money was raised through the launch of a building appeal. The final phase of construction was completed in 1993. In 1997 our new Kindergarten building was completed, funded by a generous grant from the National Lottery.

The school now consists of a Pre School, Kindergarten, Lower and Upper school. It takes children from ages three (Pre School) through to their GCSEs (Class 11).

In common with other Steiner Upper schools, we prepare them for the GCSEs. But they are given as much of the Steiner curriculum as possible - and this has been seen to stand them in good stead when they go on to continue their education from the GCSEs and beyond.