Preparing for Life

What do the young persons of today need in order not merely to met the challenges that life will present after school, but flourish there? We believe they need confidence, creativity, flexibility, responsibility and a sensitivity for the essentials in what they meet and a questioning attitude which allows them to investigate further and to treat life as a continuous arena for learning. They will also need to be able to both listen to the views of others and express their own views articulately. The Steiner Waldorf curriculum aims to achieve these qualities and therefore the lessons and activities in our schools are a preparation for life.

A Learning Community

In common with most other Steiner Waldorf Schools, the Holywood school is fully comprehensive. It also has some claim to be the first fully integrated school in Northern Ireland since the troubles began as it has had children from different communities sharing their culture, gifts and abilities throughout the school's history. A class of children passes together through the whole school, building a cohesion which often outlasts the time at school by decades. The future scientist, carpenter, lawyer, systems analyst, sportsperson and artist all share their school life for many years learning mutual respect and support. This lays an invaluable foundation of security for their individual life ahead.

Where do Holywood school pupils go when they leave school?

As the school currently only extends to GCSEs most pupils move on to other local schools or colleges and following this broad spectrum of careers one would expect from an education committed to enabling individuals to realise their potential. The curriculum is developed by subject throughout the school from class 1 with the foundations laid in the early years. At the same time the topics of a given year are relevant to that age group. For the younger children there is a thematic programme including such elements as Building, Farming and Measurement for the 8 year olds. Later the subjects become more specific including areas such as Hygiene, Astronomy and The age of Discovery for 12 year olds.

The curriculum is also developmentally based with regard to the changing consciousness of the child. As an example, narrative move from fairy and folk tale to legend and myth, and then onto a wide sweep of history later becoming more individualised in biography and autobiography. Age 12 with it's developmental step of abstract thinking requires a more casual approach where documents, artifacts and technology are used to investigate the nature of those who created them and the societies in which they lived.

In Upper school students learn more of human ideas and the influence they have on how people describe and assess the world around them. This analysis of perspectives helps the student make their own decisions on principles and views they will meet in life.