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.
LOWER / MIDDLE SCHOOL
Here at Drumduan in our lower and middle school, we endeavour to meet the needs of the whole child; academic, physical and emotional. Our approach is influenced strongly on the understanding of the relevance of child development, and the curriculum is designed in such a way that it supports the children holistically throughout their school journey.
Between the ages of six and seven, pupils enter the Lower School (Class 1-8), where academic learning is introduced. The core subjects of the curriculum are taught in Main lesson blocks of three to four weeks which enables the children to fully immerse themselves in the topic. All lessons include a balance of artistic, practical and intellectual content.
A particular teacher may stay with the same class throughout the lower/middle school years.This unique continuity of care creates a deep bond with children and their families that can help shape their character and who they are as human beings and allows teachers to fully understand the needs of each child.
For more information about the core Steiner Curriculum for Lower and Middle School and approach that we follow, please check out the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship page here.
Main Lesson Examples
Main Lessons each morning begin with movement and song. Learning is age-appropriate and richly engaging, meeting topics through story, myth and experience. The children create their own 'textbook' on each topic, as they experience, recall, and deepen their understanding of each topic.
Class One Main lessons include an introductory three weeks where they gather materials from the natural world to learn with, such as pebbles from Roseisle beach, beeswax from local hives, and wool for crafting. They learn literacy and numeracy through fairy tales, nature and games.
In Class Three, Main Lessons include Farming, Clothing, Trades and Housing. The children learn practical skills and knowledge as they grow in independence and confidence.
Class 5 focuses on Ancient Greece, offering a beautiful opportunity to camp and do sport with other schools, when the entire class travel down to experience the five-day Olympics at Michael Hall.
In Class 6 the children enter a new phase and experience the world of the Romans, Geology, World Geography, and a more substantial class play than in previous years. Class 7 and 8 are the pinnacle of the Lower School- when children study Astronomy, the Explorers, Renaissance Art, the Revolutions; and complete and present an independent project.
Subject Lessons
Handwork is a key aspect of our Lower School Curriculum. Children learn to knit, sew, crochet and work closely with the materials- for example learning to wash and card wool. As they go up through the classes, their handwork becomes more complex and detailed.
Each class has a Gardening block each week. Our large and natural site allows a variety of tasks and experiences, from planting wildflowers and growing vegetable to landscaping and tree planting.
Maths and English are taught by subject specialists from Class 6, whilst the Main Lessons continue to expand these skills simultaneously.
Art, Music and Science are all brought to the children by the Class Teacher, in a progressively more academic, still experiential, way to meet the developing intellectual capacity of the children.
Learning Support
The school offers a small part time Learning Team who provide individual support. All Class Teachers work closely with them for the benefit of those children requiring additional support.
Children with a wide range of abilities may need extra help during their school career. Support is carefully devised to suit the needs of each individual and is agreed with the Class Teacher, Guardian and parents. On occassion, the advice of the school nurse may be sought.
