South Devon Steiner School is a co-educational school catering for 3 to 19 year olds and which follows the Steiner Waldorf curriculum.

​The school is situated in an idyllic location on 8 acres of grounds near Dartington in South Devon, nestled in the rolling hills on the doorstep of the Dartmoor National Park, surrounded by fields abundant with organic and biodynamic vegetables.

We provide an interdisciplinary, theme-based and experiential approach to education which emphasises observation and personal involvement. We also relate the learning material to us as human beings thereby allowing a relationship to the world around us to unfold: a sense of belonging and being a part of the world emerges.

The way we explore any subject matter allows children to understand concepts from the inside out through repeated experiences. This is also sometimes referred to as an inductive approach to learning.

​This is contrasted from the usual deductive method where, generally, concepts are presented and described and then confirmed with some examples.

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We are one of more than 1,200 Steiner-Waldorf schools worldwide, the largest group of independent, non-denominational private schools in the world. In Great Britain, we are part of the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship.

The first Steiner-Waldorf school opened in Germany in 1919; the first in the UK in 1925. We aim to work with and develop this rich cultural heritage to serve in the global community as stewards of social renewal.

Steiner Waldorf education fosters students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth as they pass through distinct stages of development, from childhood to adulthood.

To this end, we operate an all-through, co-educational, comprehensive school for children from age 3 to 18/19 offering the full Waldorf curriculum and a rigorously assessed level 3 university-access qualification called the NZCSE (New Zealand Certificate of Steiner Education) which is quality assured by the Steiner Education Development Trust (SEDT) based in New Zealand.

The certificate is equivalent to other level 3 qualifications at Key Stage 5 such as A-levels, the IB, Abitur etc.

Our Purpose: (Why we exist)

To support students to realise their full human potential and to engage meaningfully in the world, through healthy relationships, directed by independent thinking.

Our Educational Vision: (What we aim to do)

To provide an education from age three to nineteen using Steiner’s image of human development that supports every student to become as complete and capable a human being as possible, able to use their own skills and ideas in meaningful and purposeful ways as co-creators of the social, cultural and spiritual life of the world.

Our Mission: (The principles behind how we will do it)

We adapt our approach as needed to enable individual learning and development and consciously recognise everyone’s right to their own path towards adulthood.

We respect and support each child’s unique human journey in the context of the school and class group society they are in.

We engage creatively with Steiner’s insights into the stages of human development, conduct our own educational research and study other educational approaches in order to better understand and support the needs of today’s children.

We equally acknowledge and address the three core faculties of the human being: conceptual thinking, interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships and practical and creative skill.

We balance academic rigour with artistic creativity, practical work and social engagement. We provide healthy learning environments that encourage creativity and independent thinking and nurture empathy, respect and resilience. We work closely and in partnership with parents and carers (and outside agencies as necessary) to ensure that there is an effective, collaborative and supportive team around each and every child.

We view education as an artistic practice, which requires teachers to have the right to be independent and free to create learning experiences that meet the needs of a child at a particular time, and to have the responsibility to work within the vision of the school, uphold the educational rights of the student and meet legislative requirements.

We constantly strive to enable our students to:

Think independently

Evaluate reflectively

Relate respectfully

Engage responsibly

Create dynamically

If you're searching for your next post, why not contact us now?

Even if we don't have a post now, we could do in the near future and we would love to contact you and tell you about it. You could be working at one of our great schools and become part of the South Devon Steiner School family. We are always interested to hear from those who find our ethos, approach to inclusivity and support of our staff fits with their idea of a great place to work. By joining our School Talent Pool we'll know you're interested in working here when a future vacancy occurs. Join our School Talent Pool now!

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Waldorf is an holistic education with a creative, developmentally appropriate and academically rigorous approach. It aims to develop a child's emotional, spiritual, physical and academic potential equally. We call this 'Head, Heart and Hands' and through this approach we help children to be happy at school and develop the life skills they will need to thrive.

Schools are inclusive and non-selective. An interdisciplinary curriculum uniquely interweaves artistic and physical activities with academic learning including science and maths. Teaching takes into account the distinct stages of child development so that when, how and what children are taught engages with the way they naturally learn. Formal learning starts at age six allowing time for the youngest children to develop through play, imitation and exploration which fosters a sense of wellbeing and emotional resilience. The learning environment is one of warmth, empathy and appreciation which builds confidence without the need for high-stakes testing. In the upper school, a focus on questioning, discussion and research enables Waldorf students to leave school not just with good qualifications but equipped to be creative, curious, collaborative thinkers, strong communicators and imaginative innovators. Waldorf education prepares them for life in the widest sense.

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