TESTIMONIALS
Read the heart felt testimonials of our parents. If you'd like to speak with a parent about their experience at Drumduan directly, send a request to reception@drumduan.org and we will connect you. Many of our families found Drumduan and Steiner Education after being let down by the state school system and needing something different for their child.
Some have searched specifically for a Steiner Education and found Drumduan School, set in a spacious woodland campus, with magnificent views overlooking Findhorn Bay and the Moray Firth in the north east coast of Scotland.
TESTIMONIALS
Read the heart felt testimonials of our parents. If you'd like to speak with a parent about their experience at Drumduan directly, send a request to reception@drumduan.org and we will connect you. Many of our families found Drumduan and Steiner Education after being let down by the state school system and needing something different for their child.
Some have searched specifically for a Steiner Education and found Drumduan School, set in a spacious woodland campus, with magnificent views overlooking Findhorn Bay and the Moray Firth in the north east coast of Scotland.
DRUMDUAN KINDERGARTEN AND EARLY YEARS
Drumduan’s kindergarten classes are a warm and welcoming environment that emphasises rhythm, nature connection, social and practical skills and hands-on activities. Nestling beneath the main school, our cosy indoor classrooms are characterised by soft colours, natural materials and toys, with a feeling of calm creativity and co-operation, and a strong daily rhythm.
The kindergarten has its own dedicated garden with trees for climbing and platforms for adventure; a sand-pit and mud kitchen for creative play, growing beds for plants, and even an outdoor bread oven, which was made by previous Class 3 and 4. Edging into woodland of beech, silver birch and oak, it is a safe but adventurous world in miniature. Many birds, and even wild rabbits making a regular appearance. We have two classes available: Kindergarten for 3-6 year olds. We look forward to taking you on a tour of our beautiful space soon.
PRINCIPLES OF EARLY YEARS EDUCATION
Formal learning, such as sit-down lessons in reading, writing and arithmetic, does not feature in the Steiner Early Years curriculum - in the knowledge that a child will ultimately learn these skills more effectively if they have had plenty of time and opportunity to develop socially, emotionally and physically first – in a creative, secure, and harmonious environment. The children play and interact in a genuinely language-rich environment, with songs, stories, word games and a well-modelled, extensive vocabulary from the adults around them.
EMPHASIS OF EARLY YEARS EDUCATION
There is a emphasis on the cultivation of good habits in kindergarten, as many pre-academic skills are acquired unconsciously. The foundation skills in literacy and numeracy are laid through an environment rich in hands-on activity and play and where language and communication are enabled through oral traditions of songs and storytelling. Fine motor skills are developed holistically through play, work and craft.
We believe that children thrive on rhythm and repetition in their lives; it promotes a sense of security and self-confidence for them as they become familiar with the daily, weekly and seasonal rhythms, activities and celebrations. For example, we base our week around our snacks, so the children call Monday ‘rice day’ and Thursday ‘bread day’ . After creative play, everything is tidied up in its place, so that the children know where to go for it the next day. Very careful consideration is given to the impact of everything in the kindergarten environment upon all the senses of the young child.
Our kindergartens emulate the home environment with a space for cooking, eating and playing/seasonal songs and games and also story time; another comfort-bringer. There are no “hard” corners, no strong colours and all the furniture and toys are made of natural materials. We provide the child’s physical environment indoors and outside with varied and nourishing opportunities for a self-directed learning-experience in touch, balance, lively movement and inward listening. Our morning comprises of ring time, creative play, time in nature, snack time and story time. Both Kindergarten classes run from 8:30 AM -1:00 PM five days a week; After School Care is available from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Rhythm in the Kindergarten
RING TIME
Each morning the children join in with a ring time. We sing songs and rhymes, which help the children to develop an ear for rhythm and musical sound, as well as being a strong base for literacy skills, for instance, with tongue twisters. Together we engage in movement activities, including jumping, stepping, balancing, crawling, all of which help to develop the child’s gross motor skills and aid in their physical development. We also do finger games for developing focus and attention, as well as dexterity.
CREATIVE PLAY
There is a growing body of scientific evidence to show that imaginative play is fundamental to the social, cognitive and emotional development of children. Studies have found that ‘good child players’ build up a strong sense of will, learn to nurture, take responsibility and can empathise.
Therefore, a large part of each morning is spent in the most significant ‘work’ of childhood; self-directed play. Within the room are many materials to spark each child’s imagination – cloths, frames, wooden blocks, stones, shells….. and using these, the children are able together to enter the realm of their creativity. Through play children investigate, explore and discover, coming to an ever deeper understanding of the world around them. They learn to harness and channel their imaginations, the source of all later learning.
Kindie leaf play
As James L. Hymes, Jr., Child Development Specialist, Author so artfully puts it, “Play for young children is not recreation activity… It is not leisure-time activity nor escape activity… It is language time, problem-solving time, it is memory time, planning time, investigating time, it is organization-of-ideas time, when the young child uses his mind and body and his social skills and all his powers in response to the stimuli he has met”.
Kindie Baking
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Each day, rain, snow or sun, the children enjoy time in the kindergarten garden or, on walk day, in the woods. This connection with the natural world helps children to develop their gross motor skills – balancing, swinging, running and climbing – all help to develop coordination and confidence in the body. The children are able to be in the natural world with a sense of wonder, reverence and constant discovery.
SNACK TIME
Before we share snack together; the children help to set the table and we all sit together. After lighting a candle and saying a blessing, we enjoy our wholesome snack, which has been prepared by the teachers and children and which is the same every week. This is a time to sit together, to share our stories, to be heard and to listen and to share physical nourishment.
STORY TIME
We finish the morning with the teacher telling a story, often a thoughtfully-chosen fairy tale or nature story. For a child, to have a story told to them creates a quiet time where their imagination can be engaged in the words, wisdom and images the story brings without any need for cognitive explanation. We respond to the young child’s love of repetition by sharing the same story, often for up to two weeks.
"Children's overall wellbeing was being well supported as staff responses were thoughtful, calm and respectful. Creative approaches engaged children's imagination and enriched their play and learning that helped them to develop their skills."
– Care Inspectorate 2023
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Contact with parents is seen as paramount, and parents are valued in the ‘community’ that is the kindergarten.
They are invited to attend events, birthdays, festivals and workshops on different aspects of the educational principles and practice. Home visits can be arranged and discussions about the child’s development and care take place regularly. We do regular social work mornings where parents are invited to come and work together on the garden.
"Our children felt immediately settled and safe in the teachers' loving care. They adore the mud kitchen, the sandpit and going for long, lovely walks in the beautiful forest. Inside is calm and peaceful, with lots of wonderful play materials and imaginative set-ups." Catherine and Eelco
"We are so very happy with and grateful for this school. The staff and teachers are wonderful people, who love their work and the children in their care, they go above and beyond to meet each child and to support families. We are blessed to be part of this community".
"The staff are all so welcoming. The Kindergarten is beautiful and shines with the care and love the teachers put into it and the garden is a dream come true".