About
Playgroup | Preschool | K-6 | After school care
Blue Mountains Steiner School is an independent not-for-profit K-6 school that includes Glow Babies (0-2), Playgroup (2-3) and Preschool (2-6) on the same beautiful Darug Country location in the Blue Mountains of NSW.
About Blue Mountains Steiner School
Each part of our school is independent, but by working together we provide a combined impulse to offer an authentic and comprehensive Steiner education for children aged from 0 to 12 years in the Blue Mountains, NSW.
We are a member school of Steiner Education Australia (SEA) and teach according to the Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework (ASCF), which is recognised as an alternate curriculum framework to the Australian Curriculum. The school is registered and accredited with NESA and not only meets but exceeds the standards required by all NSW and Federal educational regulatory bodies.
History
Our school was founded in 1983 when a group of parents, teachers and professionals met to talk about the possibility of creating the first Steiner School in the Blue Mountains. All were deeply committed to Steiner education, and wanted to build a school from the ground up, that would be surrounded by the Blue Mountains wilderness and uphold the values of Steiner Education.
The group quickly settled into a core team with diverse backgrounds including teaching, project management, social work and legal.
Throughout the foundation year the core group of six families met regularly and began to search for the right property eventually finding our current site at 83 Clearview Parade. They decided to fund the purchase of the property together by acting as co-guarantors and the first class began in 1983 with seven children.
VISION
Together, through a connected and supportive school community, our children grow to be resilient, creative, independent and prepared for an ever-changing world.
Download the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan: Year 1 Report (PDF 6MB)
Values
CARE
For self, students, community and environment.
CONNECTION
Nurturing the growth and unfolding of each child’s curiosity and imagination through our shared work, hope and purpose as global citizens.
CAPACITY
Cultivating students who are positive and see the beauty in the world, are confident in themselves, thoughtful in their observation and self-expression, and who pursue these practices with enthusiasm and creativity.
EXCELLENCE
Achieving excellence through academic rigour, child-responsive teaching and a curriculum that is thematic, developmental and integrated.
Mission
At BMSS we educate the whole child according to the principles of Rudolf Steiner education.
Mission Statement
We deliver quality Steiner education, adapted to the developmental stage and needs of the whole child. Our holistic curriculum combines Steiner pedagogy with academic excellence to immerse each child in ideas, nature and culture. This fosters in the children a lifelong love of learning, an appreciation of beauty and intellectual curiosity, as well as respect for their physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. We focus both on the individual child and the cultivation of a caring, vibrant school community where children feel seen and heard and know that they truly belong.
GOVERNANCE
School Council
The 2023-2024 Council members are:
- Martin Buckmaster (Principal)
- Andreea Lupuleasa (Treasurer)
- Francine O’Dea (Head of College of Teachers, Kindergarten teacher)
- Catherine Cox (Head of Preschool)
- Aneta Zydzik-Plucinska (Chair)
- Cameron Lownds (Deputy Chair)
Blue Mountains Steiner School Strategic Plan includes the following priority areas:
- Leadership and Governance
- Community Building
- Teaching and Learning
- Professional Learning
Education Reports
