Norwich Steiner School Upper School Curriculum Policy Reviewed May 2014 Lessons in Upper School Upper school curriculum policy -‐ May 2014.doc The morning begins, as in Lower School, with 20 – 25 minutes of morning verse, movement, recitation and music/singing Meaningful movement, whether led by the class teacher or the school's Bothmer Gym* teacher, is seen as essential in bringing the pupils together and preparing them for the cognitive tasks ahead Morning lessons, as in the Lower School, still revolve around the Main Lesson and immersion in a subject for three or four weeks Main lesson lasts from 9.00 to 11.00 Where possible, English & Humanities main lesson blocks are alternated with Maths & Science main lesson blocks, in order to provide a balance in the different ways of learning During the middle part of the day, pupils will have their normal subject lessons, incorporating English & maths practice lessons, as well as foreign language lessons The practice lessons will often reflect the subject matter from the main lesson Afternoon lessons usually incorporate a craft or practical element and 2 – 3 afternoons a week will relate to the current main lesson block Thus for example in an English Main Lesson block, the class may do drama or theatre studies in the afternoon artistic lessons Pupils are given additional help in structuring their independent work by the provision of 'Homework' lessons These lessons allow them to organise their work, complete unfinished work and ensure they have any information/materials they may need in order to complete assignments out of school Homework lessons are supported by a dedicated teacher who is able to resolve any uncertainties and act as a conduit between the children and their teachers * Bothmer Gym was developed by Count von Bothmer who worked with Rudolf Steiner in the first Waldorf School to develop a movement program to meet the developmental needs of children throughout the curriculum Upper School Curriculum Context In 2011 a decision was made, following wide consultation with parents and staff throughout the school, to pursue an authentically Waldorf curriculum in our new Upper School The school pursued and explored a number of Steiner/Waldorf school leaving options and qualifications In 2013 the school found a fully accredited Level 3 Steiner qualification, the Steiner Senior Certificate (SSC) The SSC is ‘owned and quality managed by the Federation of Rudolf Steiner Waldorf Schools in New Zealand Inc (FRSWSNZ), who accredit providers (normally schools) to deliver the programme and award the Steiner School Certificates at Levels 1,2 and 3’ (The Steiner School Certificates: An introduction for School Communities; The Federation of Rudolf Steiner Waldorf Schools in New Zealand) In other words, pupils who are successful in achieving an SSC Level 3 qualification are eligible to apply to study at any UK university The school has entered into an agreement with FRSWSNZ Norwich Steiner School will, from September 2014, offer the SSC to all of its Upper School students FRSWSNZ will be responsible for supporting the school with its teacher training, Quality Management and certification Details of this relationship and the SSC program can be found in the SSC file Teaching When pupils enter Year 9 there is a change in the way that the curriculum is delivered Pupils remain with their class group, but the class teacher is left behind and teaching is taken on by a team of specialists in their subject The key principles of integrated learning do not change, but the focus of learning is increasingly intellectual – presenting theories, concepts and principles for analysis and debate, seeking to equip pupils with powers of discernment and a critical, but open mind, developing their ability to initiate and make decisions independently and creatively In Upper School we recognise that, increasingly, the children are going to be drawn in one direction or another Their teachers and guardians will need to be sensitive to the individual gifts and interests of each child and find ways of nurturing these, either within the opportunities provided by the curriculum, by drawing on specialist teachers or through work experience Challenging creative and practical activities continue for all pupils, to reinforce their breadth of thinking and as an essential balance to classroom-‐based work Pastoral guidance, and responsibility for the pupils' moral, spiritual and social welfare, is passed on from the class teacher to upper School class tutors, who see the pupils regularly In order to meet some of the more complex questions of adolescence, especially around areas such as sexuality, we will always ensure that there is at least one male and one female class guardian At the time of writing this policy, the school is in the process of recruiting upper school staff, who will not only teach, but who will write and develop the upper school curriculum ensuring that it is in line with the SSC requirements and that it reflects the needs of the children currently in Class 9 and will continue to do so as they go on through the upper school The tables below provide the educational aims of each year group and give a range of main lesson subjects for each year group and afternoon craft activities that may accompany them: By the end of Class 9 the students should begin to: ñ Be able to gather facts and information relating to their interests ñ Show self-‐motivated interest in the world around them ñ Be able to make logical, causal deductions, making judgements based on observation and understanding rather than purely on feeling ñ Know how to make transition from 'idea' to 'ideal', and from ideal to applied practice ñ Develop a feeling for technology as 'thought become worldly reality.' ñ Understand art and science as reflecting historical changes in cultural consciousness ñ Be able to learn through work and have as many practical experiences as possible ñ Be able to work in a team to solve problems together Class IX (Polarity) Main Lessons Crafts Environmental biology/climatology Field trips (fruit picking), Cookery Earth Sciences – Geomorphology Green woodwork – willow baskets Physical Sciences – Physics I – Telecommunications Green woodwork – pole lathes Physical Sciences – From fleece to felt Physics II – Heat/Engines Biological/Life Sciences – Pit forge and Charcoal Human Biology burning Chemistry – of plants (organic Copper Work Maths – investigation of Pottery number and number patterns Maths – Geometry of Conic Sections Clay Heads English – History of Black and white drawing Drama (comedy/tragedy) English – Epic, Lyric, Dramatic Soap making History – Modern Woodwork History of Art Food – from field to plate By the end of Class 10 the students should begin to: ñ Achieve objectivity and clarity in thinking, draw logical conclusions, form common sense judgements ñ Recognise natural laws using analytical thinking ñ Understand how complex processes come about by working from basic principles ñ Work with accuracy ñ Apply what they have learned in order to respond to the practical needs of those around them ñ Take more and more responsibility for own work and behaviour ñ Form own opinions and be able to explain and justify them Class X (Analysis/Harmony) Main Lessons Earth Sciences – Climatology Crafts Green woodwork – Hurdle making Earth Sciences – Textiles – Batik Environmental Sciences – Mechanics Physical Sciences – Mechanics (Statics and Dynamics) Bridge building Biological/Life Sciences – Blacksmithing Embryology Chemistry – of mineral (inorganic) Decorative metalwork Maths – Trigonometry Surveying Maths – Projective Geometry Textiles – dress making English – Myth to Literature Sculpture English – History of Poetry Painting History – Ancient Civilisations Woodwork Work Experience Woodland management By the end of Class 11 the students should begin to: ñ Attain objectivity in their feelings and increasing capacity to form judgements of taste, style and social tact ñ Bring mobility into thinking – able to synthesise and correlate different factors within a holistic view ñ Able to encompass infinite and no-‐sense-‐perceptible phenomena ñ Have a self-‐directed sense of social responsibility Class XI (Judgement) Main Lessons Physical Sciences – Atomic Physics Crafts Woodwork – cabinet making, musical instruments Biological/Life sciences – Paper making botany and microbiology Chemistry Book binding Maths – Projective Geometry Casting and jewellery Maths – Spherical Geometry Decorative Metalwork English – Parsifal Tailoring/Dressmaking English – Romantics Weaving Music – Romantics Modelling Art – Romantics Woodcarving History – Rome to Renaissance Ceramics Geography – Social development issues Land work Social Service (work in the community) Land Work By the end of Class 12 the students should be able to: ñ Have an integrated view of the nature of the human being, human society and nature ñ Articulate their own views on a wide range of topics ñ Show a good degree of social competence ñ Show interest in questions of human destiny ñ Move from the parts to a perception of what is whole in practical, social and conceptual contexts ñ Show inner mobility of thought, be able to move backwards and forwards within a process in order to be able to articulate the idea behind a process ñ Consider the relationship between law, necessity, freedom and responsibility ñ Think for themselves, and act out of their own insight whilst carrying responsibility for their actions Class XII (Synthesis) Main Lesson s Crafts Physical Sciences – optics Fine Art to relativity and quantum theory Biological/Life Sciences – Fine Art Zoology Chemistry Making stone heads Maths – Calculus Class Play Maths – Geometry Class play History of Architecture Biography (assessment) English – Survey of British/World Literature Philosophy History of Music Music History – World History overview Geography – social – Cultural review Field Trip History of Architecture Field Trip REFERENCES Avison K 2004 “A Handbook for Waldorf Class Teachers” Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship Rawson M & Richter T (eds) 2000 “The Educational Tasks and Content of the Steiner Waldorf Curriculum” Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship (Based on 'The Educational Tasks and Content of the Steiner Waldorf Curriculum') Class 9 and 10 Subject Percentages per week – Averaged over a year Class Subject Maths English Science Geography History Languages P.E Music Arts Crafts Outdoor Learning Percentage Religion ICT Performing Arts PSHE Other 12.22 12.22 6.48 3.70 2.78 6.67 6.67 6.67 6.67 15.19 1.85 3.33 6.67 3.70 3.33 1.85 Class 10 Subject Percentage Maths 12.22 English 12.22 Science 6.48 Geography 2.78 History 2.78 Languages 6.67 P.E 7.59 Music 6.67 Arts 7.59 Crafts 15.19 Outdoor 0.00 Learning Religion 3.33 ICT 7.59 Performing Arts 3.70 PSHE 3.33 Other 1.85 A Description of Weekly Lessons Music: Pupils will gain a real experience of musical performance as well as knowledge of theory Years 9 and 10 will work in instrumentally with different styles and genres (strings, rock, drumming, a cappella singing, etc.) Craft In the upper school crafts are explored in new breadth, bringing students into contact with professional craftspeople; enhancing their aesthetic judgement, coordination and precision skills; and giving inspiration and direction to pupils’ choice of vocation in life During years 9 and 10 pupils experience a range of artistic and craft activities including; pattern making, clothing design and production, woodwork (joinery and carving), metal work (forging and copper-‐beating), photography (digital and traditional dark room techniques), printing, and printmaking The emphasis is on co-‐ordination, observation and perseverance, as well as imagination and creativity Drama Pupils become comfortable and familiar with performing on stage, both for school events and for parents Drama is an important educational tool both in the Lower and Upper School In the Upper School, drama courses include a History of Drama Main Lesson and a drama production Through exploring a wide variety of dramatic situations and contexts, pupils can come to terms with their own emotions and develop perspective and inner objectivity Drama fosters a variety of social skills and responsibilities; promotes self-‐confidence and self-‐control; encourages imagination and aesthetic sensitivity PE Sports and activities include basketball, badminton, softball, volleyball, tennis, athletics, archery, gymnastics and circuit training Religious Education A core aim in upper school teaching is the attempt to connect students to the most important ideals of all -‐ their own Cultivating a sense of idealism can be approached in a variety of ways, but the religion lesson has a key role to play in furthering this aim Lessons will typically be based on the study of inspiring biographies of both historical and contemporary figures Nelson Mandela and apartheid, Jacques Luuyseran and the Second World War, Charles Darwin and evolution, Henry Ford and the industrial age, Mohamed Bouazizi and the Arab Spring are all examples of where a biographical approach to issues of social, ethical and moral import can inspire class discussion and self-‐reflection along with an appetite for context and meaning Sponsor Lesson The sponsor lesson provides an opportunity for the students and class sponsor to discuss issues which all adolescents will meet at home and in our society Areas such as racism, alcohol and drug abuse, sexuality and modern media are able to be explored and discussed The sponsor lesson also presents the students with a platform where they are able to raise and discuss issues about the school, class and curriculum Class Trips Trips are an important aspect of upper school Day trips in the upper school connect with specific main lesson For example art gallery trips to the Sainsbury collection of Norwich Castle; Geology trips to the coast, theatre trips to see relevant productions and more There will be a class trip each year as an extension of the curriculum These could be physically based (requiring students to do physical work), socially based (an exchange with a Steiner School of another country) or culturally based (visiting Rome and Florence to explore the architecture) The school will have in place a robust policy to ensure that school trips are well organised and safe ICT The focus of our ICT teaching will be on understanding how computers work and developing skills in programming, design and simple electronics; commercial software packages will also be studied ICT begins in Year 9 by building an understanding of how computers work and an introduction to common applications, supplemented by a study of the historical and social context of information technology In year 10 pupils will gain a deeper understanding of digital technologies, supported through the study of number bases and the binary system in mathematics Pupils will study the basic ideas behind computer programming including flowcharts, code-‐writing, website design using HTML, CSS and JavaScript; and study the relationship between hardware and software At the same time the ethical and health issues connected with ICT will be addressed