Upper School (15 years and above)
In adolescence the child reaches toward adulthood. The emergence of strongly held beliefs and the development of independent judgement are two major characteristics of this phase. Now teachers who are specialists in their own particular fields should ideally teach the young people.
In Classes 9 to 12 ( 15 - 18 years ) the curriculum widens out to cover many fields of activity and knowledge. Narrow specialisation is avoided as far as possible, though the demands of state examinations in England do result in compromises in Steiner Waldorf schools that have an upper school.
Creating a valid educational environment for the age group is a matter of ongoing concern in Botton Village School.
In the past, small groups have sometimes stayed on into Class 9 or 10 (15 - 16 years ), sometimes following a programme combining workshop experience and further study. More usually classes have finished completely at age 14, with pupils successfully transferring to a variety of schools, including other Steiner Waldorf schools and local state schools.
We do hope to develop upper school facilities in the area in the future. In the meantime, when children are in Class 6 or Class 7, every class has a careful review pertaining to its needs and its future.