A Warm Welcome From The Principal
Welcome to Casuarina Steiner School here in Coffs Harbour. It is such a delight to be Principal of a such a caring, creative, inclusive community committed to educating the whole person – intellectually, emotionally, artistically, socially and morally.
When you look at your child, you see the whole person. The child they are now, and the potential of the adult they will become. You also realise that there are significant emotional, social and cognitive milestones they will experience along that journey.
This is the same way that we as a Steiner school look at your child. We take a holistic view of education, appreciating that children have hands and hearts, as well as heads. Bringing these elements into balance and harmony and introducing content and experiences at strategic moments that meet the child’s changing educational needs is a core philosophy of all Steiner Schools.
Here at Casuarina Steiner School, we have a highly experienced and dedicated staff and parent community who are committed to creating the best learning environment for all the children in our school.
I look forward to meeting you at our next Principal Tour and sharing more about how our school can support your child’s journey to adulthood.
Deborah Neale
Principal
Casuarina Steiner School offers a unique education
Situated on the sub-tropical Mid-North Coast, on the edge of beautiful bush land in the beachside city of Coffs Harbour, Casuarina Steiner School offers a unique education for girls and boys aged from 12 months to 12 years.
Casuarina Steiner School provides an education that is based on a balanced approach to learning. Alongside a very high standard of academic education, our curriculum places great importance on educating the head, heart and hands, thereby educating the whole person intellectually, artistically, socially and morally, so as to develop each student’s innate self-discipline and strength of body and will. Our next generation will need to be effective problem solvers, be adventurous to thrive in a changing world, strong to face the moral and ethical challenges that lie ahead and creative to bring out the beauty in the world and in themselves.
Based on the Steiner principles, we offer a nurturing environment to address the changing needs and capabilities of children at each stage of their development. Our methods of teaching ensure deep and rounded learning.
We believe that:
- Education is a journey, not a race
- Play is the serious work of early childhood
- Learning takes place with hands, heart and head
- By protecting the right to childhood we are creating abilities for life
Our School
Casuarina Steiner School provides an education that is based on a balanced approach to learning. Alongside a very high standard of academic education, our curriculum places great importance on educating the head, heart and hands, thereby educating the whole person intellectually, artistically, socially and morally, so as to develop each student’s innate self-discipline and strength of body and will. Our next generation will need to be effective problem solvers, be adventurous to thrive in a changing world, strong to face the moral and ethical challenges that lie ahead and creative to bring out the beauty in the world and in themselves.
The Early Years
Early childhood education is commonly seen as covering the years from birth to seven years of age. At Casuarina Steiner School we offer three early years programs: Parent & Child Group which aims to provide a safe place of support, friendship, and community for parents, and a nourishing environment with role models worthy of imitation for the children; Peach Blossom for the pre-kindergarten year, serving as a gradual and gentle transition into school life; and an actively engaging Kindergarten program which readies children for their formal academic education.
Primary School
The years of primary school are the time to work from and nurture imagination. Curriculum content, cognitive and emotional development and skill building are approached through pictorial and imaginative representation. Hands on experiences, storytelling, creative writing, visual arts, music, drama and movement all contribute to the development of imaginative capacities. These imaginative capacities are the foundations for students to engage with academic material, for future complex problem solving, innovation and creativity.
