Viva Lewes Issue #160 January 2020

EDUCATION
is the norm in continental
Europe. By age 11 our pupils
have comparable numeracy
and literacy levels as children
educated in mainstream
education: they have ‘caught
up’, if you like, having acquired
many more life skills, besides.
What about assessment
tests? There are no SATS and
no CATS. The emphasis isn’t
about learning how to pass
exams, it’s on learning towards
a better life. The children
don’t undergo any formal
exams until their GCSEs.
What is the age range of
children in the school? There
are parent and child groups,
with six-month-old infants.
Kindergarten (Early Years)
starts at two-and-a-half. The
oldest students are studying for
their GCSEs. Each year group
has a maximum of 25 children
in a class, and usually between
15 and 20.
It’s a private school, right?
We are an independent school,
and I wish it were government
funded! As such, parents have
to pay fees, but as a charity
there are no shareholders, our
school is more affordable than
most other private schools.
Fees on average are £2,200 a
term per child.
Do students usually go on to
do A Levels and university?
All the year 11 students take
a ‘portfolio’ of seven GCSEs,
which enables access to all
A Level options for College.
Our pupils go on to colleges
to do A Levels, some go
into apprenticeships in the
workplace, I was Steinereducated,
and started my
working life as a sculptor,
before becoming a teacher!
Interview by Alex Leith
Open Days January 23rd
& 24th. More info at
brightonwaldorfschool.org
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