Education by classroom
Class 1 (Year 2)
I Am
Development
Children ideally turn seven before October. Boys often benefit from being slightly older. This stage is described as ‘Dreaming and Earthing’, where children relate to the world through comfort, beauty, and trust in adults.
The Task
To develop social skills, work cooperatively, take turns, and respect others. To build imaginative connections to nature and foundational academic concepts through story and pictures.
Story Curriculum
Fairy Tales
Main Lessons
Form drawing, Speaking, Writing, Reading, Mathematics, Home Surroundings, Festivals
Other Lessons
Visual Art, Music (singing, recorders), Drama (puppets, plays), Movement, Eurythmy, Handwork, Spanish, Māori
Class 2 (Year 3)
I Am, You Are
Development
Children turn eight this year and begin to recognise others as individuals. They remain strongly influenced by imitation and look to adults as models of good behaviour.
The Task
To deepen self-awareness and awareness of others. To strengthen reverence for life and inspire a sense of higher purpose. Lessons build on Class 1 content to strengthen relationships with each subject.
Story Curriculum
Fables, King of Ireland’s Son, The Saints
Main Lessons
Form drawing, Speaking, Writing, Reading, Mathematics, Science, Festivals
Supporting Lessons
Visual Art, Music, Drama, Movement, Eurythmy, Handwork, Spanish, Māori
Class 3 (Year 4)
I Am, Who Are You?
Development
Children turning nine experience the ‘nine-year-old crisis’: a new sense of individuality, separation, and questioning. They test boundaries and seek reassurance that adults still know what is right.
The Task
To guide children through this new self-awareness by reassuring them and helping them understand their place in the world. Lessons such as House-Building, Farming, and People at Work connect them to practical life.
Story Curriculum
Old Testament, Māori Creation Myths
Main Lessons
Form drawing, Speaking, Writing, Reading, Parts of Speech, Mathematics, Practical Lessons, Festivals
Other Lessons
Art, Music (rounds, violin), Movement, Eurythmy, Handwork, Māori
Class 4 (Year 5)
Who I Am, Where I Am?
Development
Children turning ten feel fully “on the earth” and experience stronger self-consciousness. They seek to understand whether the world is worthy of reverence.
The Task
To help students discover themselves in time and place, appreciate the world’s wonder, and understand consequences. Norse Myths strongly support this development.
Story Curriculum
Norse Myths; The Volsung Saga
Main Lessons
English, Mathematics, Local Geography, Local History, Form Drawing, Human & Animal, Festivals
Other Lessons
Art, Music (rounds, strings), Drama, Eurythmy, Handwork, Spanish, Māori
Class 5 (Year 6)
Where I Stand in the World
Development
Turning eleven brings a new sense of balance. Children stand strongly within themselves and are ready for deeper exploration.
The Task
To guide physical and inner balance, to cultivate rhythm, form, and awareness of the world’s interconnectedness. Study shifts from myth to ancient civilisations.
Story Curriculum
Ancient India, Persia, Egypt, Greece
Main Lessons
History, English, Maths, Geography, Human & Animal, Botany, Festivals
Other Lessons
Form drawing, Art, Music, Drama, Eurythmy, Handwork, Māori
Class 6 (Year 7)
How I Stand in the World
Development
Twelve-year-olds begin to reason with consequences. Their bodies change rapidly and movements become awkward, requiring sensitivity and support.
The Task
To explore Roman history and civic responsibility, helping students experience honour, fairness, and the good of the community. Scientific thinking begins with Physics and Geology.
Story Curriculum
Stories of Rome; Tales of Chivalry
Main Lessons
History, English, Maths (algebra, interest), Geography, Geology, Science, Festivals
Other Lessons
Art, Music, Drama, Eurythmy, Handwork, Woodwork, Spanish, Gardening, Māori
Class 7 (Year 8)
What I Will Carry Into the World
Puberty arrives and balance is disrupted. Students feel less like children and may challenge boundaries or seek new experiences.
The Great Explorers curriculum mirrors their inner journey beyond familiar horizons. English lessons such as “Wish, Wonder, Surprise” support emerging individuality and aspiration.
Class 8 (Year 9)
Identity
The fourteenth year brings strong individuality and inward focus, yet students still care deeply for the world. Lessons focus on environmental studies, industrial revolution impacts, and biographies.
Pedagogical Aims
- Foster connection to the world
- Strengthen learning skills
- Develop social awareness
- Rediscover beauty and goodness
- Support uniqueness
- Encourage courage and personal responsibility
Class 9 (Year 10)
Polarities
Adolescence brings strong emotional swings and physical changes. Students experience the world in extremes and need grounding through hands-on and artistic work.
Pedagogical Aims
- Awaken understanding of opposites
- Strengthen reasoning
- Develop objectivity and accurate observation
- Build courage and perseverance
- Explore responsibility, rights, and social engagement
Class 10 (Year 11)
Balance
Students gain greater emotional control and social ability. They search for understanding of laws, patterns, and relationships in both inner and outer worlds.
Pedagogical Aims
- Find balance between polarities
- Develop aesthetic sense
- Recognise virtues of truth, goodness, beauty
- Strengthen awareness of one’s developing adult identity
- Harmonise emotional rhythms
Class 11 (Year 12)
Analysis
Students can now reason objectively and analyse complex topics. They study fine detail in sciences and debate with increasing clarity.
Existential questions arise, and philosophical studies such as “Parzival” help guide inner development.
Pedagogical Aims
- Develop critical and reflective thinking
- Strengthen analytical reasoning
- Support understanding of self in community
- Encourage free individualisation
- Explore meaning, purpose, and destiny
Class 12 (Year 13)
Synthesis
The final year brings together all previous stages into an integrated whole. Students stand as young adults with moral awareness, intellectual capability, and social responsibility.
Pedagogical Aims
- Recognise interdependence of world phenomena
- Understand personal strengths and learning styles
- Develop strong ethics and values
- Stand confidently in their future direction
- Make a meaningful contribution to the world
New Zealand Certificate of Steiner Education
Level 1, Class 10
Level 2, Class 11
Level 3, Class 12
For more information please follow this link: www.sedt.co.nz