Class 1 Teacher for 2024/25 Announced

March 4 2024

The College of Teachers have appointed Bruce Houldsworth, current Class 6 Teacher, to be the new Class 1 Teacher next year.

From the start of formal education in Class 1, typically until the end of Class 8, the Class Teacher at Edinburgh Steiner School has overall responsibility and care for the Class, thereby creating an ideal environment for sustained and supportive learning.

In our rapidly changing world, having the same Class Teacher through most, if not all, of their Lower School years provides a haven of stability and continuity which is extremely rare in other schools.

The children develop a unique level of trust and confidence in their teacher while their teacher gains a deep understanding of the strengths and needs of each child.

It also means a close and supportive relationship is developed between the Class Teacher and the parents/carers.

Nonetheless, in many Waldorf schools both in the UK and internationally, it is becoming the practice that Class teachers do a shorter roation and it is now not unusal for some teachers to stop at the end of Class 5 or 6 to make way for a teacher whose speciality is with older Middle School pupils.

The College of Teachers, together with current Class 6 Teacher, Bruce Houldsworth, (who has twice taken a cohort to Class 8) has decided that the time is right for a change. Mr Houldsworth will take his current cohort through the first six complete academic years of school. Recognising that he has particular skills with younger children, he will then step down in July to make way for Tiffany Kopp, curent Class 8 Teacher to become their Class Teacher. Bruce Houldsworth will begin his rotation again in August with new Class 1.

Mr Houldsworth has a BSc(hons) Biochemistry, MSc Pollution and Environmental Control, Steiner Teacher Training (2004), PGDip (GTS) (2020).

My science background took me into a 15 year career in Environmental Science, principally working with industrial clients to solve problems of land contamination. I discovered Steiner Teaching, and it lit up my life with possibilities of expressing more parts of my being, working with young people and contributing to the world in a real and human way.

Since qualifying, I have been a Class Teacher but I’ve also taught maths and sciences in the Upper School. I have particular interests in bringing Digital Literacy in an age appropriate manner, and in developing positive and engaging responses to the challenges of the Climate Change.”

Reflecting on what makes Waldorf Steiner education so relevant in the 21st Century, he adds:

The world requires so much creativity, and creative thinking. Our children will end up with jobs that have not yet been conceived of, or named. Mainstream education is unfortunately very good at incidentally and accidentally educating away that creative spark in children that I particularly love.

Steiner’s wisdom permeates the broad brush curriculum, and charges the teacher with the responsibility to implement and adapt this curriculum to meet the needs of the pupils in front of them. Waldorf Steiner education is infused with creativity; it is a process of interplay of pupil and teacher, with the potential to uplift both in joyful discovery. Waldorf Steiner education is therefore particularly well placed to meet the future.”

Many of the new Class 1 will transition from Kindergarten, in their 7th year.