Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions most commonly asked by families considering a Steiner education
Steiner and Waldorf education refer to the same philosophy, founded by Rudolf Steiner in the early 20th century. The term “Waldorf” comes from the first school established under this philosophy at the Waldorf-Astoria factory in Germany. Steiner education focuses on the holistic development of the child, integrating intellectual, artistic, and practical learning.
Steiner and Waldorf education refer to the same philosophy, founded by Rudolf Steiner in the early 20th century. The term “Waldorf” comes from the first school established under this philosophy at the Waldorf-Astoria factory in Germany. Steiner education focuses on the holistic development of the child, integrating intellectual, artistic, and practical learning.
Both Steiner and Montessori education are child-centred, but they differ in approach. Steiner education follows developmental stages and integrates arts and creativity throughout the curriculum. Montessori encourages self-directed activity and hands-on learning in a prepared environment, with an emphasis on independence and practical life skills.
Yes. Australian Steiner schools follow the nationally accredited Australian Steiner curriculum, that aligns with children’s developmental stages. It blends academic subjects with arts, crafts, music, and physical education, fostering creativity and imagination, especially in the early years.
Reading is usually introduced around age seven. Before this, the focus is on oral storytelling, language development, and imagination. Reading is gradually introduced through a foundation of listening, speaking, and writing skills.
Steiner schools are non-denominational and do not promote any particular religion. They do, however, include a spiritual aspect, encouraging respect for all living beings and fostering awareness of the spiritual dimension of life.
Children of all religious backgrounds attend Steiner Schools schools. Religion is not taught in Steiner Schools, however, attention is given to the spiritual dimension which is aimed at awakening the child’s reverence for nature, humanity, and the beauty of life.
Technology use is minimal in the early years, with a strong emphasis on hands-on learning. As students grow, technology is introduced mindfully to ensure it is used as a tool rather than a reliance.
Steiner primary schools generally do not support the use of computers in educating young children although computers are used as part of the high school curriculum.
The Main Lesson is a unique feature of Steiner education.
Each morning, children explore a single subject or theme in depth over several weeks. Rather than moving quickly from topic to topic, this approach allows students to immerse themselves in their learning – making connections, building understanding and creating their own work. Lessons often combine academic content with artistic and practical activities, helping children to engage both intellectually and creatively.
At Silver Tree our year intakes run by the calendar year, rather than from July to June like in mainstream schools. This means all of the children in one class are all born in the same year, and are all turning the same age.
Our Kindergarten program begins with Kindy 4, which is for children turning 4 in that calendar year, and is the equivalent of a 3 year old kindy program.
Kindy 5 is for children turning 5 that year, and is the equivalent of kindergarten.
Kindy 6 is for children turning 6 that year, and is the pre-primary equivalent.
Children start primary school in Class 1, in the year that they are turning 7.
Steiner schools hesitate to categorise children, particularly in terms such as ‘slow’ or ‘gifted’. A given child’s weakness in one area, whether cognitive, emotional or physical, will usually be balanced by strengths in another area. It is the teacher’s job to try to work with the whole child.
At Silver Tree, a child having difficulty in the classroom – be it academically, emotionally or socially – will be offered support via our Learning Support team, who are active within the school. Each of our classes has an Education Assistant, who works with the whole class.
Children who quickly grasp academic concepts and material can be given extension activities and other responsibilities in the class.
It is a requirement for all Australian schools to offer NAPLAN. However, the broad national testing is out of step with the timing of delivery of the Steiner curriculum.⠀
NAPLAN measures numeracy and literacy skills which are ahead of our teachings in Year 3, but by Year 5 Steiner educated children are performing better than their mainstream counterparts.⠀
A key difference in comparison to many mainstream schools is the emotional effect NAPLAN has on students. Steiner schools uphold a natural process of unfolding, a long term educational view for each student. There is therefore no pressure to perform.⠀
Key highlights of Steiner students NAPLAN results include:⠀
Information taken from Steiner Education Australia data.
In 2018, Steiner Education Australia embarked on a comprehensive research project to help both SEA and local schools better understand their core audiences, and provide a foundation for building stronger relationships with government and educational services partners.
There were 3,055 respondents, including principals, teachers, board members, staff, parents, students and alumni, from 54 metropolitan and regional schools across the country.
Alumni results give insight into the enduring effects of a Steiner education and reinforcement of some of our core educational objectives:
Yes. Silver Tree Steiner School is serviced by two bus routes to and from Chidlow and Morangup. Families must reside outside the Public Transport Area to access this service. Eligibility for a Conveyance Allowance is determined by the Public Transport Authority for families living more than 4.5 km from school and 2.5 km from the nearest bus route. Services are operated by TransPerth School Bus Services (08) 9326 2136.
We have an application pool for every class in our school. The application pool often shifts and changes, so although there may not be a place for your child immediately, we recommend submitting an application if you feel that Silver Tree is the right school for your children.
You can see all our tour dates for the year and book your place here: Book a Tour
Our fees are outlined in the Fee Schedule. We aim to keep costs manageable so families can access a Steiner education in the Perth Hills.