North London Rudolf Steiner School (NLRSS)

The NLRSS (est. 1985) is an OFSTED registered‘Steiner Waldorf Early Years Centre’comprising Juniper and Rowan Kindergartens, Rosehip Playgroup and Rosebuds Parent & Child Group groups.  We cater for over 50 children from 0  to 7 years of age.  We are located in Hornsey / Crouch End North London, an area which still retains a wealth of character with wonderful parks and woodland such as Highgate and Queen’s Woods.  Alexandra  Palace looks out over our special sensory garden which the children and our school community have all helped to create with our unique ‘outdoor classroom’ with our clay oven built with the help of the ‘Hiram Trust’. 

Our aim is to provide a safe ‘home-from home’ environment where children feel confident in their own unique abilities and where each stage of development is recognised and supported.  We provide nourishing opportunities for children to learn experientially and feel the joy of discovery.  The young child’s natural creativity, curiosity and sense of wonder are fostered through a curriculum rich in natural imaginative content.  Qualities essential for life-long learning.  Foundation skills are developed during this time in readiness for a more formal education i.e. reading, writing, arithmetic which begins at age 6 or 7.  

One of the major tasks of the teacher is to foster play, which is seen as the young child’s work.  In play the child can find its relationship to the world in an artistic and imaginative way.  Simple toys crafted in natural materials and substances all help the child’s imagination to develop fully.  Stories, verses and ring games also play their part in enabling the child to enter a world of fantasy, whilst singing, painting and modelling have a harmonising effect. 

The rhythms of each season in nature are very much a part of the life of each group; during ring time with its nature songs and poems, in gardening and also in the celebration of the festivals.  The morning activities follow a weekly rhythm - Monday may, for example, be painting day, Tuesday baking day etc.  There is as well a daily rhythm in the structuring of the morning - tidying up following play, snack following ring time, story time following garden time.  Such routines are infinitely variable.  They provide a foundation for the child to learn, as it does at this stage naturally, through imitation both of its peers and of its teacher.  At the same time all the activities and especially eurythmy (an art of movement) help develop the child as it adapts physically and socially to its surroundings.

The ‘Rosebuds Parent  & Child’ groups provide a space for children accompanied by their parents/carers up to 4;  to come together for a social and creative time.   Children  join Playgroup at 2½ and Kindergarten at 3½.  Admission to Playgroup and Kindergarten is by application. 

As with all Steiner Waldorf schools, there is no ‘Head Teacher’.  All pedagogical matters and executive decisions are made by the College of Teachers and are accountable to the School Trustees.  All matters non pedagogical (other than school policies) are dealt with by the School Administrator.  The College and the Administrator are assisted as necessary by a volunteer from the parent body.  The school also employs a part time School Bursar and a part time School SENCO, based off-site. 

School Times

Rosebuds Parent & Child Group

Monday                                                   14.00 - 16.00

Wednesday                                             10.00 - 12.00

Thursday                                                 10.00 - 12.00

Friday                                                     10.00 - 12.00

Rosehip Playgroup

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday                           10.00 - 12.30

Juniper Kindergarten   Rowan Kindergarten

Monday – Friday                                       09.30 – 13.00

The School Term

All schools in England comprise of three terms; Autumn Term, Winter Term and Summer Term.  Each term there is a break of one week. 

In addition to this schools have holidays at Christmas, Easter and over the Summer. 

Steiner schools have slightly longer holidays than state schools.  Our school, being an 'Early Years Centre' has a few days in addition to these, however we have less 'Inset Days'.

Schools are closed on 'Inset Days' for staff training and specific school business matters.

In addition to the termly one week breaks, our school takes the following holidays:

Christmas           3 1/2 weeks

Easter                3 1/2 weeks

Summer             8 weeks

The staff have to return one week earlier than the children before the Autumn Term to help get the school ready.  Staff also return one week earlier after the Christmas break to help get the school ready.