The Upper SchoolH

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ou discover who you really are

“Our highest endeavour must be to develop free human beings able to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for

imagination, a sense of truth and a feeling of responsibility – these three forces are the very nerve of Education”

- Rudolf Steiner

The aim of the Upper School (Class 9 to Class 11) is to deliver the broad Waldorf Curriculum and to prepare pupils for GCSE examinations. The students are now guided by two class guardians who replace the class teacher in pastoral care and as main contacts for the pupils and parents.

Lessons in the Upper School are taught by specialist subject teachers and each pupil will experience Modules, Main Lessons and a variety of GCSE Subject Lessons. This exciting curriculum gives our students opportunities that are just not available in the mainstream.

The Upper School Curriculum aims to combine schooling the intellect with caring for imaginative qualities and character building. The pupils will be encouraged to become familiar with the world and the challenges it sets them and to set about developing powers of independent judgement, intellect and a striving towards truth.

We hope that the Waldorf education at Elmfield prepares our pupilsto enter adulthood with:

• A reverence for the World’s beauty and challenges• The ability to make independent judgements• Confidence in themselves and their abilities

• Analytical and critical faculties• Strong social skills and self-awareness

• The self-discipline to demand the best of themselves• The academic results to further their education and careers

Introduction

It is worth noting that our aim at Elmfield in terms of GCSEs is to help pupils achieve their potential. We do not “hot-house” or put excessive pressure on exam results and so the results our pupils achieve is only one way of measuring their success. We are most interested in the confidence and self-belief with which pupils leave the school and on this measure it is no exaggeration to say that we are extremely successful.

Tracking progressClass 9 is a year of transition for the pupils as joining the Upper School means

increased expectations in terms of both work and maturity.

Class 10 is another big step up for pupils as they continue to mature and take their first set of GCSE exams.

Class 11 is the year when it all comes together and the pupils reap all the benefits of all the seeds that have been sown in the previous years. At the end of the year the

pupils take their second set of GCSE exams.

It is important that both pupils and their parents know what progress is being made through the Upper School.

The way we do this is via:

• Half-termly Progress Reports that track effort and achievement in GCSE subjects, Main Lessons and Modules. They also report on the pupil’s homework and discipline record, organisational skills, attendance and punctuality.

• Parents’ evenings every term to give updates on progress, some of which pupils are expected to also attend.

• End of year reports.• Commendations for exceptional work, effort or personal progress.• Practice GCSE exams at the end of Class 9 (‘mock mocks’).• Mock GCSE exams in January in both Classes 10 and 11.

NB: The half-termly reports also include the pupil’s currently predicted grades for their GCSE subjects with suggestions for how to stay on track or improve if necessary.

This allows both parents and pupils to follow progress in the exam subjects and to raise awareness of any problems at an early stage.

Main LessonsThe Waldorf curriculum continues in the Upper School in the form of Main Lessons. The Main Lessons, with their broad range of subjects and cross-curricular approach, form the foundation of everything we do at Elmfield. A typical timetable might look like this:

Class 9: History of Drama, History of Art, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Geometry, Technology, History of Civilisation, Class 9 Play, Class Trip.

Class 10: History, Physics, History of Literature, History of Art, Poetry, Chemistry, Biology, Trigonometry, Class Trip.

Class 11: Physics, Psychology, Biology, Geography, History of Music, Class 11 Play, Parsifal, Chemistry, Community Projects, Class Trip.

GCSEsThe GCSE programme is introduced in the Upper School and runs over three years, alongside the Waldorf curriculum.

This means that our students normally have one more year of school than their mainstream peers. This extra year allows them to arrive at 6th Form College as more mature individuals, something which benefits them and is appreciated by their new teachers.

They have also had the chance to study a much broader range of subjects than other teenagers and to do so in a less pressured environment.

The students begin their formal GCSE studies at the start of Class 9 and take up to 4 GCSEs at the end of Class 10 – currently English Language, Maths, French and either German or Psychology.

At the start of Class 10 they also begin studying for their next set of GCSEs and take their exams in these subjects at the end of Class 11.

Elmfield pupils currently have the opportunity to takeup to 9 GCSEs in school.

Depending on uptake, GCSE Options on offer in the Upper School are typically:

English Language*; Mathematics*; French; German; Art; Drama; English Literature; Chemistry / Physics / Biology (all 3 until July 17); Double Science*; History; Music; Psychology.

(* compulsory subjects for all pupils currently in Classes 9 and 10)

Our exam results are consistently amongst the best in the area and the majority of the students go on to college to do A levels.

Over the last ten years (since 2007) an average of 82% of our Class 11 final year students left Elmfield with 5 or more A*-C grade GCSEs, including English and Maths.

Pupils have typically gone on to King Edward VI College in Stourbridge (one of the very best colleges in the whole country), Haybridge Sixth Form, Halesowen College and Stourbridge College.

Modules

Each week in the Upper school is a combination ofGCSE subject lessons, Main Lessons and Modules.

Modules give the pupils the chance to try new activities and develop a wide range of skills. They run in three week blocks with usually five modules to choose from. Groups are made up of students from all three Upper School classes. A typical year of Module choices might look like this:

Archery, Art, Basketball, Blacksmithing, Bothmer Gym, Choreography, Class 11 Play, Class 9 Play, Cookery, Green Woodwork, Cricket, Cycling, Dance, Pottery, Dressmaking, Eurythmy, Folk Music, Gymnastics, Jewellery Making, Outdoor Skills, Running, Shadow Puppets, Upper School Drama, Song Writing, Sports, Stained Glass, Tennis, Tie Dye, Woodwork.

Alongside their GCSEs, Main Lessons and Modules the pupils have access to a wide range of other opportunities, including:

• Weekly assemblies, sometimes with guest speakers.• Work experience outside school at the end of Class 10. • Increased responsibilities with younger pupils at Elmfield, including a partnership

between Class 9 and Class 1. • Career talks.• The Upper School council – two pupils from each class represent their fellow

students and a Class 11 pupil chairs the meetings.• Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.• Upper School Music.• Upper School Drama.• Trips – Class 9 go on a ten day trip to our sister school Schloss Hamborn in

Germany; Class 10 go on a trip combining study and outdoor activities; Class 11 go on their final trip which is usually overseas and has an educational and/or community service element.

Extra-curricular activities

Elmfield Rudolf Steiner SchoolLove Lane

Stourbridge, West Midlands

DY8 2EA01384 394633 info@elmfield.com www.elmfield.com

Quotes from Class 11 pupils“It would be difficult to overestimate the impact that my time at Elmfield has had on my life. At the state sixth form college I attended afterwards the teaching staff used to say that Elmfield pupils had an advantage over their peers, especially in terms of confident participation in classes. Studying at Cambridge University I heard similar comments, and certainly felt that my education had set me up for my time there just as well as any public school might have.” - Laura

“I joined Elmfield in Class 7 and found a very nurturing educational environment which allowed me to find my strengths, while exposing me to a much wider range of knowledge than I could have hoped for anywhere else. I also found excellent and caring staff who were willing to go beyond the usual call of duty to help me develop. The learning environment and style allowed me to explore my own avenues with freedom but also with support and encouragement, making me into a very proactive, motivated person today. I think the relationship with staff being more teacher-friend than teacher-pupil helped develop interpersonal skills while also giving a greater respect for the staff. After Elmfield I went to King Edward’s Sixth Form College, then to the University of Southampton where I read for an integrated Masters degree in Geology. I received a First Class Degree, and an award for the best Masters Research project related to mining.” - Alex

“There were things I questioned and didn’t always enjoy in Classes 8 and 9 but now that I’m in Class 11 it’s all suddenly making sense and I can see why we did things the way we did. As a result I’m really enjoying school and am very glad I stayed on.” - Jake

“I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for Elmfield and the many wonderful teachers I had; what a magical place it was. If there’s one thing I carry with me from my years there, it would be that it’s ok, no, essential, to be your own person. One teacher used to say ‘my job is to help you discover who you really are’. And when-ever I meet fellow alumni, who are each pursuing their own dreams, all around the world (musicians, scientists, teachers, entrepreneurs), I think he, and his colleagues, succeeded in that.” - Robert

“Thank you Elmfield for giving me all that I need to feel ready to go out into the world! I will always remember how happy I’ve been here.” - Anna