Choice, Progression And Opportunity: A Plan For The Upper School

March 25 2025

By Alistair Pugh, Education Manager

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Our Upper School pupils care deeply about their education. They value their Main Lessons, which both deepen and broaden their knowledge and appreciation of the world. They look forward to their plays, their trips and the leadership roles they play in our festivals. And they value the sense of community and responsibility they feel when they become buddies with pupils in Class 1. It’s a rich experience: more than the sum of its parts, and formative in a way that only a balanced curriculum can be.

For many decades Edinburgh Steiner School has chosen to find a balance in the timetable for exam courses, which are vital for entry to college and university, and for all the other experiences, skills and learning opportunities which allow a healthy human being to grow freely and find their place in the world.

Our pupils perform extremely well. Over the last five years, the average pass rate of our pupils for SQA Higher has been over 90%, against a Scottish average pass rate in August 2024 of just under 75%. Over the last 20 years the gap between attainment at ESS and attainment nationally has widened considerably and consistently. And our pupils have reaped rewards for this success.Over the last decade, 84% of Class 12 leavers have progressed directly to further education, with the majority of those going to university. In recent years our pupils have secured places at all the highest ranked Scottish universities, as well as at several Russell Group universities in England.

Our Upper School pupils care about the future of their education. While they don’t want an Upper School experience that’s nothing but wall to wall exam courses, they do want to be assured that when they reach Class 12, they can leave with a set of qualifications which will allow them to progress. And in the competitive world of Higher education, this might mean having additional qualifications at more advanced levels.

This dilemma has been the focus of discuss for several years. And so, in September 2024, a sub-group of the College of Teachers was convened to meet weekly througout the Autumn Term with the following remit:

How can the Upper School be restructured to enable the delivery of a full and meaningful Waldorf Curriculum alongside a programme of qualifications or outcomes which can allow all pupils to follow their chosen pathway after they leave school?”

 

A report was presented to College in January 2025, with a vision for an Upper School which would allow all our pupils to enjoy both a balanced education and the means to pursue their chosen pathway at a pace which suits their needs and wishes.

The first phase of the plan will be implemented in session 2025/2025 and continue to evolve over several years as timetabling, staffing and resourcing are adjusted to accommodate our requirements.

Some details of the changes planned for next session were outlined in a letter to parents on 17th March, including the introduction of additional taught courses at Advanced Higher in Maths and English in Class 12, and a pathway which allows some pupils to complete some of their Highers over one year in Class 11.

We will also lay the foundations for a greater measure of choice in Classes 9 and 10 and nurture more opportunities for pupils in Classes 11 and 12 to become absorbed in meaningful activities, hands-on learning and accredited programmes which do not lead to traditional assessments or examinations.

We are excited to be making a start on this new phase of our journey; there is so much to see and do along the way.