Steiner celebrate St John's Festival

The Kildare Steiner School celebrated their recent St John's Festival with an evening of fun and games for pupils and parents, a traditional type barbeque, and plenty of traditional music.

According to school PRO Angie Ruane, this festival is tied in with a summer Solstice when they also celebrate the end of the school year. It always includes a bonfire.

Many local parents of the 60 or so young pupils were involved in all the preparations as well as the six teachers at the school. Barney O'Sullivan had just delivered some wood in his tractor. His wife Dorly teaches at the school, and the children often go across the fields to visit their nearby farm as many of the school's activities are based on the natural world.

While the children were involved in making many of the crafts on show, under the guidance of craft teacher Claudia Brave, some items were made by adults in the school.

Claudia was one of two teachers leaving the school on the day. She retires after 21 years of involvement with the Steiner School, having previously being involved in the school in Dunshane. Viola Laumans, the Kindergarten teacher, was also saying a sad farewell on day.

There are three separate buildings on the site and the 60 or so pupils are taught by six teachers, the average class size being 13. Children can begin in the Mother and Toddler Group, and progress to Kindergarten.

Formal academic learning starts at the age of seven. The Steiner curriculum is child-orientated, giving security and providing a home away from home so nurturing their personal and emotional skills, while the low pupil-teacher ratio creates a supportive learning environment for the developing child.

Trish Whelan.