Assessment

Teaching in Steiner Waldorf schools fosters an internal motivation to learn and promotes a philosophy

of achieving personal best and celebrating progress. The teachers carry a loving respect for the unique

individuality of each child. They hold to the principle that every child has a store of potential that is not

yet revealed.

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Learning is a non-competitive activity. Any testing, or reporting, particularly for young children, is

undertaken in a way that minimises anxiety, a sense of failure, or a perception of competitiveness.

Every child is seen to be on a different learning continuum so the focus is primarily on individual

progress and personal bests).

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Observation is a primary assessment tool in Steiner Waldorf schools; observation of children and

attention to naturally occurring evidence is at the core of teacher judgement and therefore guides

curriculum development, teaching and assessment practice.

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The child study provides teachers with an opportunity to work collaboratively to address a child’s needs.

In such a study teachers meet with reverence and build a thorough observational picture of the child.

Contemplation and meditation on these shared pictures can help in finding the right way forward.

Parents may participate in these conferences.

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Summative assessments that provide quantifiable data related to specific achievements, school goals

and government requirements are carefully selected and used at age-appropriate levels. Teachers look

at trends of student achievement to guide their next stage planning for classes or for individual children.

 

Feedback and feed-forward to students is provided through formative and summative assessments at

age-appropriate times and in an age-appropriate manner. Teachers provide a range of responses that

fit with an anthroposophical understanding of child development.

 

Self-reflection is seen to be a maturing capability. As the children move through the school they become progressively more involved in the conscious articulation and selection of their individual learning goals.

 

From the time the child enters the kindergarten to the time they leave the school, there is comprehensive dialogue and information sharing between teachers and parents.

In the lower school, teachers write comprehensive narrative reports for each child at the end of the school year. In these

reports they strive to describe the journey undertaken during the year by the individual child within the

context of the class as a whole. Alongside progress made in learning, this characterisation might include

reflections on temperament and learning style as well verses chosen or written for each child that

affirm or support the child’s next steps.

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High school reports might carry a descriptor of the main lesson or subject with summative and/or

formative results. Each high school makes a local decision about its qualification pathway. Schools may

provide testimonials, personal profiles or localised certificates that comment on the developing

personal qualities of the student. Steiner Waldorf High Schools can apply to the Federation of Rudolf

Steiner Waldorf Schools in New Zealand to be accredited to offer the Level 1- 3 Steiner School

Certificate. This qualification is recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

 

Evaluation and self-review is first found in the on-going self-reflection of the teachers, who consider

their teaching through observation of individual children, identified priority learner groups and the

class as a whole and through their own responses. Evaluation and assessment can be supported by

mentor sessions, teacher meetings, involvement of parents, conferencing with students and on-going

dialogue with other teachers or agencies.

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National standards and learning steps

In 2011 the Federation of Rudolf Steiner Waldorf Schools in New Zealand entered into negotiations

with the Ministry of Education regarding National Standards policy. The implementation of this policy

was seen to present a challenge to the various schools’ integration agreements which seek to uphold

and protect Special Character. Steiner Waldorf curriculum and pedagogy are seen as intrinsic to Special

Character. These emphasise the importance of unhurried and unpressured learning, particularly in the

early years.

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We wished to ensure that the Steiner Federation’s pathway of Learning Steps 4would be acknowledged

as a different but valid progression towards most students achieving at the same level or above that of

the National Standards by the end of class 7 (year 8). The Ministry-appointed auditors of these steps

validated that this was the case. The Learning Steps have been accepted as the means by which Steiner

Waldorf Schools can report progress and achievement to children in an age- appropriate manner, to

parents, Board of Trustees and, as part of the annual report, to the Ministry of Education.

 

New Zaland Certficate of Steiner Eductaion 

The New Zealand Certificate of Steiner Education (CSE) is a regulated and fully accredited NZQA secondary qualification in New Zealand, listed on the New Zealand Qualification Framework since 2010.

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Under this framework, students can work towards achieving the CSE in Classes 10, 11 and 12 (Levels 1, 2 and 3) in Steiner/Waldorf schools throughout New Zealand, all while meeting the New Zealand Qualification Framework Levels 1, 2 and 3. Schools are able to assess students at the relevant year level across the full range of learning activities – including academic, artistic and movement-based subjects.

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These secondary school qualifications are delivered, quality-managed and developed by the Steiner Education Development Trust. SEDT accredits and contracts providers (normally schools) to deliver the certificate. A detailed and rigorous external moderation system to ensure consistency and robustness to this qualification has been established and approved. This moderation system describes the requirements and processes of controlling, managing and assuring the quality of assessment against the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) levels, as well as assessment procedures, coherence and consistency between the schools.

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These qualifications are approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and are

registered on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. This means that there is a public profile of

the qualifications, which assures the users of the certificates that the qualifications meet the New

Zealand Qualification Framework Levels 1, 2 and 3 (New Zealand Qualifications Authority, 2011).

The Steiner School Certificate Level 3 endorsed with University Entrance has ad eundum status for

entry into all New Zealand Universities.

 

The qualifications have also been devised for use in other countries or educational sectors and Steiner

graduates are using SSC to gain university places overseas.

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Taha whānau (parent-school partnership)

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Positive, active support and participation by parents in the educational process and in the cultural life

of the school is considered a fundamental element of the child-whānau-school support triangle. To

ensure the best outcome for their child’s learning and wellbeing, parents are encouraged to provide a

home life that supports and fosters the learning environment of the school and kindergartens.

Parent and whānau interest in and understanding of, the holistic nature of Steiner Waldorf education

and of what is conducive to healthy child development strengthens the partnership between home and

school and gives congruence to the child’s life experience. This is made explicit in any enrolment

interviews or talks that are held in order to promote and establish the parent relationship to the

Special Character.

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That the class teacher accompanies a child for up to seven years of their schooling gives the possibility

for a deepening relationship with parents and of forging a strong alliance centred on the needs of the

child. Regular class parent evenings give the opportunity for an active and supportive class community

to develop.