Festivals, Assemblies and Cultural Life
1 January - 31 December 2022
A conscious effort is made to honour the cycle of nature as part of school life. One way this is done is through marking the main traditional festivals with a celebration, often incorporating an assembly. These regular social occasions are an important part of our school, reflecting the seasonal and festive note in the performances by the individual Classes; establishing a yearly rhythm for the children, and strengthens our community.
Various plays, concerts, exhibitions and performances are also presented on our School Stage. Some of these are brought to the School by touring artists and are usually of a very high standard. Many are performed by our own pupils, with each Class typically presenting at least one play per academic year. Class Teachers and older pupils present the three Oberufer Plays yearly. Extra Curricular Clubs and the School’s Lower and Upper School Orchestras enrich this programme of cultural events further.
Orientation in Time
Children hang their year and their time on the things that are important to them. These will usually come in the way of birthdays or celebrations that they hold with their families. By celebrating festivals as a tradition, Waldorf schools are giving them a framework to drape their lives on during their school time. In a society where many of the natural rhythms of life have virtually disappeared, this is now vital in addressing the basic human need for rhythm and repetition, so that they can feel safe and secure knowing what’s coming next.
Festivals serve to connect humanity with the rhythms of nature and of the cosmos. They join children to the seasonal moods of the year in a festive way.” Steiner
Wonder & reverence
Reverence is another unique feature of our approach to educating your child, intertwining with rhythm and repetition as themes that run throughout the entire length and breadth of the Steiner curriculum. We aim to cultivate feelings of wonder and reverence in our children, reflecting the human experience at the particular time of year, setting up important habits for life.
This is created through the many verses that are learnt by rote, (also a part of the curriculum and building strong foundations for literacy), many of which are then shared with the whole school community from the school stage. Candles and bonfires are lit at specific points in the day and year. A strong sense for the importance of these social occasions is supported by an aesthetic environment, which the pupils play their part in creating, maintaining and (where needed) repairing. These weave alongside singing and moments creating silence together.
In this way the inner spirit of each child feels a sense of nourishment and calm in a non-secular way. We instil a sense of appreciation in our children for the world around them, as they routinely give thanks for snacks and meals and the bounty of the earth.
Christian Festivals
The School Calendar marks the main Christian festivals. Other religious festivals are observed too, which help to deepen the children’s experience of other peoples and cultures; to appreciate diversity and understand one another despite differences of language and cultural background as they progress through the school.
Parents & Carers
The children always appreciate it when other parents/carers as well as their own can support their efforts by attending their performances. We therefore seek to invite parents to join us whenever there is the capacity in our School Hall to do so. Tickets may need to be booked in advance through the School Office for whole school events. Details of this will be given through the Tuesday Notice.
Learn more about Festivals, Assemblies and Cultural Life in the Parent Handbook (pages 17 and 55); see Session Dates; and read more about the individual festivals below:
(*Returning after the October break 2022)
Autumn Term
Anniversary of first Waldorf school
Trilogy of Oberufer Plays: Paradise Play
Trilogy of Oberufer Plays: Shepherds’ Play
Classes 1 & 12 Light Christmas Tree
Spring Term
Epiphany – 6th January
Trilogy of Oberufer Plays: Three Kings’ Play
Easter – 17th April
Summer Term
Founder’s Day for Edinburgh Steiner School
Advanced Highers Art Exhibition
Dates for plays by one of the four Kindergartens and Classes 1 – 12 vary from year to year. Presentations from the Extra Curricular Clubs and Lower & Upper School Orchestras are offered on an ad hoc basis. News of these events are shared in the Tuesday Notice and our School Calendar.