Hawthorns Bristol - Nature & Steiner Inspired Learning

🌿Sad news to share - Hawthorns home education group has now closed 🌿

🩷The group was no longer viable and did not re-open after the Winter break. Thank you to all the tutors, parents and children who shared this journey with us over the last two years. Wishing you all well on your journeys. 🩷

If you are looking for a child centred Waldorf-Steiner education in Bristol then please consider

Bristol Waldorf School Discover Bristol Steiner School, the only alternative school in Bristol; offering holistic, children-centred education in Redland. Celebrating 50 years of nurturing and inclusive learning environments.

✨Welcome to our new assistant Benedetta.

🌿Benedetta has spent the last year working in Italy as the bilingual teacher for Class 1 and 2 in a Waldorf-inspired Forest school, teaching forest school, gardening, art, language and maths.

We are really excited that she is now volunteering with Hawthorns to support our weekly Forest School sessions.

👉Hawthorns is in the news! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70zdv4r4kdo

We recently contributed to a BBC article which came out today!

At Hawthorns we believe that there is a different way to meet children's educational needs alongside their social and emotional wellbeing.

In the last academic year Bristol city council received 530 notifications a child would no longer be attending school, compared to 270 in 2019-20 - a rise of 96%. This figure does not account for the children who never formerly registered for School in the first place.

'I started home-schooling after anxiety caused my child to vomit' One parent said her child was "unrecognisable" as school made her so "depressed".

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This week, we’ve been deepening our understanding of numbers, focusing on odds and evens.🔢

We’ve used chestnuts 🌰 collected last term, following the Pebble Maths approach to make the learning hands-on, visual and engaging. 😊

✨Celebrating Hawthorns first birthday✨
Hawthorns opened its doors back in September 2023, this term marked our one year anniversary! To mark the end of term we had a celebration of the children's work & cake!!!

❤️Gratitude to all the parents who have helped shape the group past and present and our wonderfully dedicated tutor Lena.❤️

🌿We are committed to growing in an organic, sustainable way staying true to our core values to provide children with the opportunity to experience a child-centred, nature based education inspired by principles of Forest School and aspects of Steiner within a collaborative home education community🌿

👉If you would like to join us then drop us an email at [email protected]

Waldorf talks: The Waldorf Way Kath Bransby, Education Coordinator, Waldorf UK

📍Bristol Steiner School
📅 Monday 4th Nov 19:30
🧺 donations gratefully received on the door.

In this talk, Kath will give an overview of the Waldorf curriculum from Kindergarten to Class 5. She will explore how child development, pedagogy and subject content are woven together in a coherent and cohesive structure, and how we can manage the tensions between principles and tradition, consistency and innovation.

Kath joined Waldorf UK in 2019, with her role being to support and develop the quality of education across all UK schools. She co-authored the 'Art of Teaching' UK Waldorf Curriculum, and works closely with colleagues in Europe and worldwide on curriculum and pedagogical development strategies. Kath is also a senior lecturer in Education at Sheffield Hallam University.

Last week, our little adventurers embraced the beauty of nature during our forest outing! Surrounded by towering trees and the gentle sounds of the river, the children climbed, explored, and played, fully immersed in the magic of the outdoors.

It’s heartwarming to witness their curiosity and joy as they connect with the natural world, nurturing not only their physical abilities but also their imaginations. Moments like these remind us of the importance of unstructured play in nature, where children can learn, grow, and thrive in their own unique ways.

We believe that experiences like these are essential for their development, fostering a sense of wonder and respect for the environment. Seeing them play together, share laughter, and discover the simple pleasures of climbing a tree or splashing in the river is a beautiful reminder of the joy found in nature.

As we continue our nature and Steiner-inspired journey, we cherish these moments that allow our children to forge a deep connection with the earth and each other. Here’s to more adventures and discoveries in the great outdoors! 🌳🌎

🐾Our Neighbours Cat 🐾
The children absolutely love our visiting cat! It brings so much excitement and encourages monuments of silence - as the cat only appears when it is very quiet ✨The cat has also inspired our morning lesson work - adding a special kind of magic to the day! ✨