29.6.24 - Almost there

Photos from the Open Day in Kindergarten and Playgroup

I've bought space from google and am now in the process of uploading all the photos i've accumulated over the year. So here's the Open Day from this year. The place never looked so lovely.

In contrast to other years, Open Day was held in October and we only opened the Kindergarten and Playgroup, but had work from the rest of the school on display. It was to give parents of children in who were thinking about enrolling in new schools a sense of what Steiner education was about. In addition to the demonstration of the different crafts which the children did, Patricia Fegan did a talk about the Steiner curriculum. There was a good crowd and lots of interest. I didn't take pictures of the crowd because they weren't school parents, but Ghin provided a sample of how enthused the children who did turn up were. There were a few tears from some as they left, with the protest, I don't want to go home!

Play group...

Wooden trains and natural materials all abound.

Being autumn, the branches were decorated with paper leaves.

Playgroup's warm and friendly, loving environment

Cosy corner

Here's the Kindergarten's trip to the woods

Wooden toys made by Class 6

Work from the rest of the school

Watercolours from Kindergarten

Beautiful felt shoes made by Marcella

Leaf hangings which were made by Kate in Kindergarten

Kindergarten's autumnal display

The nature corner, no classroom should be without one

Martinmas

Martinmas is one of my favourite festivals. There's the play about the selfless saint, conscientious objector and idealist - who was also pragmatic. A philosopher who was also a man of action. There's the singing and then the lantern walk around the dark woods. The children love it - i think that's what does it for me most of all.

Here are pictures from this year...

Class gets ready for the play

Mummy helps with the finishing touches

Clowning around...of course.

Backstage instructions

Martin stops to speak to the beggar and give him half his cloak

He then dreams of Christ who comes as the beggar that night

Martin tells the roman general that he won't fight in the army.

Jago is the Roman general

Class Three take their bows

And the younger ones then took over the stage. It was so sweet watching them so naturally wanting to take part in the action.

I've tried to capture the spirit of the walk, which was mostly pitch black only lit by the tiny lanterns as we ventured into the 'forbidden' singing out songs.

Here they are going up the hill, back to the Kindergarten.

We now gather at the doors of the Kindergarten. 

Anticipation at the end of the walk of the coming feast...

Wee gnomeys lined up in a row...made by Marcella on open day.

Pumpkin arrangement outside the kindergarten and playgroup class

After the walk, some spiced apple cider and biscuits for all!

Waiting patiently for their turn...the older ones.

Elf or child, you decide...