I WAS surprised when you recently referred to Steiner education as experimental when comparing it to the UK National Curriculum.

If Steiner education really is experimental, then according to my dictionary it must be new and untested. I also noted that you did not refer to the UK National Curriculum as experimental.

So here are some facts: Rudolph Steiner launched his educational methods more than seventy years ago, following a long period of research into best practice in education. Since then, his methods have been applied in thousands of schools and nursery schools world-wide, including the UK, mainland Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Australasia and more recently, in Eastern Europe.

Steiner education is proven and effective; so much so, that the Dutch and German governments support Steiner schools, while many of Steiner's methods have influenced key North American educationalists. The Steiner school movement has grown into one of the world's largest and most successful forms of independent education.

In contrast, the UK National Curriculum is relatively new, restricted to the UK and unproved in the long term. It has had many teething troubles and while it has some excellent points, there has also been a great deal of negative publicity too.

So which form of education is experimental? An international and proven system which has been around longer than most of us, or a very new and radical system restricted to the UK?

Dr Richard Gould

Clarence Street

Lancaster

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