Comments for Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School | Waldorf Education http://elmfield.com A Beautiful Steiner Waldorf School in Stourbridge Fri, 04 May 2012 19:03:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Academy discussion and FAQ by Martin Dathan http://elmfield.com/2012/03/academy-discussion-and-faq/comment-page-1/#comment-208 Martin Dathan Fri, 04 May 2012 19:03:37 +0000 http://elmfield.com/?p=3059#comment-208 Academy status would oblige the school to provide for the sitting of Key Stage 2 Assessments for 11 year-olds. Pupils at this age are already familiar with internal testing, whether it be a weekly spelling test or a maths test set by their own teachers and is one form of assessing what the teacher has been teaching under the Steiner Curriculum. Sitting a test in itself should be no major impact. Of more concern is whether external testing would impact on the Steiner Curriculum. We would not want to alter our curriculum to "teach towards" the external tests and staff at Elmfield would have to find means of safeguarding the Steiner Curriculum. In addition,we would have to make very clear to parents, that SATS results need to be taken in the context of the whole curriculum at Elmfield, just as the Government league tables are taken in context at KS4 with GCSE statistics. Academy status would oblige the school to provide for the sitting of Key Stage 2 Assessments for 11 year-olds. Pupils at this age are already familiar with internal testing, whether it be a weekly spelling test or a maths test set by their own teachers and is one form of assessing what the teacher has been teaching under the Steiner Curriculum. Sitting a test in itself should be no major impact.
Of more concern is whether external testing would impact on the Steiner Curriculum. We would not want to alter our curriculum to “teach towards” the external tests and staff at Elmfield would have to find means of safeguarding the Steiner Curriculum. In addition,we would have to make very clear to parents, that SATS results need to be taken in the context of the whole curriculum at Elmfield, just as the Government league tables are taken in context at KS4 with GCSE statistics.

]]> Comment on Academy discussion and FAQ by Sean Gilde http://elmfield.com/2012/03/academy-discussion-and-faq/comment-page-1/#comment-188 Sean Gilde Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:32:04 +0000 http://elmfield.com/?p=3059#comment-188 Re. Q&A 2. What are the impacts of SATS on kids? And how would the teaching staff at Elmfield minimise this impact realistically? The answer supplied to this question seems rather 'wishy washy'. Re. Q&A 2.

What are the impacts of SATS on kids?
And how would the teaching staff at Elmfield minimise this impact realistically?

The answer supplied to this question seems rather ‘wishy washy’.

]]> Comment on Academy discussion and FAQ by Elisabeth Faulkner http://elmfield.com/2012/03/academy-discussion-and-faq/comment-page-1/#comment-179 Elisabeth Faulkner Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:05:04 +0000 http://elmfield.com/?p=3059#comment-179 Yes we are striving to become an academy and have decided to apply. However, the application can only be successful if we can show enough evidence of demand by the time we are submitting it. To gather evidence of demand is part of the application process. Yes we are striving to become an academy and have decided to apply. However, the application can only be successful if we can show enough evidence of demand by the time we are submitting it. To gather evidence of demand is part of the application process.

]]> Comment on Academy discussion and FAQ by Patrick http://elmfield.com/2012/03/academy-discussion-and-faq/comment-page-1/#comment-171 Patrick Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:30:19 +0000 http://elmfield.com/?p=3059#comment-171 I am confused and surprised that we are still talking about 'evidence of demand'. I thought it was decided - Elmfield is striving to become an academy. Is this not the case? All talk of still assessing demand in my mind simply distracts us from working hard towards our goal - which surely must be submitting an excellent application as quickly as possible. I am confused and surprised that we are still talking about ‘evidence of demand’. I thought it was decided – Elmfield is striving to become an academy. Is this not the case? All talk of still assessing demand in my mind simply distracts us from working hard towards our goal – which surely must be submitting an excellent application as quickly as possible.

]]> Comment on Academy discussion and FAQ by Martin Dathan http://elmfield.com/2012/03/academy-discussion-and-faq/comment-page-1/#comment-130 Martin Dathan Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:43:41 +0000 http://elmfield.com/?p=3059#comment-130 A good question - thank you.The Academy Group has wrestled with this one. Since our last Academy Forum in November 2010 it has become clear that there are still many questions about what Elmfield would look like with Academy status.We are hoping that questions and comments can be aired first, and then Evidence of Demand surveyed after informed debate. A good question – thank you.The Academy Group has wrestled with this one. Since our last Academy Forum in November 2010 it has become clear that there are still many questions about what Elmfield would look like with Academy status.We are hoping that questions and comments can be aired first, and then Evidence of Demand surveyed after informed debate.

]]> Comment on Academy discussion and FAQ by John Franken http://elmfield.com/2012/03/academy-discussion-and-faq/comment-page-1/#comment-102 John Franken Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:07:34 +0000 http://elmfield.com/?p=3059#comment-102 Hi, before going through the application, would it not be a great idea to see upfront is there is evidence of demand? It would in my opinion help the school to also plan for the future. Hi, before going through the application, would it not be a great idea to see upfront is there is evidence of demand? It would in my opinion help the school to also plan for the future.

]]> Comment on Academy discussion and FAQ by Martin Dathan http://elmfield.com/2012/03/academy-discussion-and-faq/comment-page-1/#comment-98 Martin Dathan Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:10:57 +0000 http://elmfield.com/?p=3059#comment-98 The on-line forum will enable the school community to become aware of the issues involved in the Academy process.It will also enable the school to gauge what interest and concerns there are at this initial stage. Later on in the application process the school will need to submit evidence of demand for a Steiner Academy in this area and contacts made in this forum may be asked if they would respond to an "Evidence of Demand" questionnaire. The on-line forum will enable the school community to become aware of the issues involved in the Academy process.It will also enable the school to gauge what interest and concerns there are at this initial stage.
Later on in the application process the school will need to submit evidence of demand for a Steiner Academy in this area and contacts made in this forum may be asked if they would respond to an “Evidence of Demand” questionnaire.

]]> Comment on Academy discussion and FAQ by Rainer http://elmfield.com/2012/03/academy-discussion-and-faq/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Rainer Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:19:24 +0000 http://elmfield.com/?p=3059#comment-86 I think this is an excellent initiative > big thanks to Mark Chitty for technically setting up this on-line discussion forum! Perhaps we should explain how this process will inform the future process in a bit more detail, in other words: how will the information be 'used' to guide the school community in the process of becoming an academy? I think this is an excellent initiative > big thanks to Mark Chitty for technically setting up this on-line discussion forum! Perhaps we should explain how this process will inform the future process in a bit more detail, in other words: how will the information be ‘used’ to guide the school community in the process of becoming an academy?

]]> Comment on Academy discussion and FAQ by Maarten http://elmfield.com/2012/03/academy-discussion-and-faq/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Maarten Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:56:51 +0000 http://elmfield.com/?p=3059#comment-79 What about school uniform. Will that become compulsory? What about school uniform. Will that become compulsory?

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