{alt_tag}

30th June 2023

Dear Michael Hall Community,

I am delighted to be able to announce officially to our community that, following an extensive application process over the past year, we received confirmation this week from the Department of Education that we can officially open a new provision for the two to three year olds in our community. This provision will bridge the current gap between children attending Parent and Child sessions and joining the Kindergarten, and we are absolutely thrilled that our application was recognised as being particularly strong.

So now the work really begins! Rachel and her team in Kindergarten and Parent and Child, supported by the admin team, will now be preparing, planning and promoting this new provision over the summer months, in readiness for September. I know you will give them your full support in this. But for now, we must all take a moment to celebrate this achievement and its positive reflection on our wonderful school community.

With the continuing warm weather and the School Estate looking its most glorious, this week has possibly given me more to reflect on than any other so far this academic year. The Midsummer Festival on Saturday was a wonderful experience, which afforded me the luxury of speaking with many parents, former staff and Alumni at leisure, as well as presenting a few words about the school's future to those within our Alumni who wished to listen. The Lower School pageant was an absolute delight to behold and I really enjoyed the exhibitions in the Dick Chester and the Eurythmy studio, as well as the tours around Kindergarten. The whole event enabled our community to shine in all its glory and was a wonderful way to spend the day. 

My particular gratitude must go to the staff team and voluntary supporters who worked so hard to make the Festival such a success.

This was followed (and preceded the previous evening) by the Upper School production of 'Guys and Dolls'. Yet another theatrical and musical triumph, with both casts demonstrating skills and talents quite remarkable in people so young. The enthusiasm, enjoyment and shared union through this experience was evident in every second and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it twice and singing along to a few familiar songs. The staff involved in supporting the students with this performance deserve special praise for the hours they put into this behind the scenes. You know who you are and you know how grateful we are that you continue to support the students in this way.

The Class 12 Fire Ceremony rounded off the day in true Michael Hall style. As someone new to the Movement, I honestly have never experienced anything quite like this. The reverence and beauty of the procession down the South Lawn, the students' recital of the verse, their enthusiasm for lighting the bonfire and the ethereal quality of their singing will never leave me. 

Class 12 completed their week with two further events: their Graduation and their Leavers' Assembly. To hear each member of the class make a speech about their reflections on their school life to date and how this will hold them as they move into their future, was overwhelming and really brought into sharp focus for me exactly why this education system works and how it creates and nurtures the human spirit. They spoke, painted, sang and received gifts with the utmost humility and grace at the Leavers' Assembly and, as we sang them out of the theatre auditorium, I'm not sure there was a dry eye in the house. 

Go well in peace, Class 12. We will miss you enormously but know you are ready to leave us now.

My warmest wishes to you all,

Sarah Stokes
Principal

{alt_tag}
30 Jun 2023
Guys & Dolls JR
We congratulate all the "Guys and Dolls" from Class 11 and Class 9 on their successful performances in the musical. They put all their heart and soul into their singing and had a great time doing it. 
Read more
30 Jun 2023
Leavers' Assembly
The whole School gathered in the theatre yesterday morning for the Class 12 Leavers' Assembly. Every child, from Class 1-11, sang a Zimbabwean hymn together in harmony as Class 12 left the theatre for the last time. Today they leave for the Italy Trip, the final part of their Michael Hall jour...
Read more
29 Jun 2023
Saplings 2-year-old Provision
We are delighted to announce that we will now be offering a 2 year old provision at Michael Hall: SAPLINGS Located in the beautiful surroundings of East Sussex, Saplings caters to children aged 2 years old. Our carefully designed space is filled with natural materials and open-ended toys that...
Read more
27 Jun 2023
St John's Fire
Fire, Fire I bear, ⁣ Fire to burn the dead wood.⁣ Fire, Fire I bear,⁣ Fire to warm the cold air. ⁣ Fire, Fire I bear⁣ Fire to light the dark night. ⁣ That death may give new life,⁣ That warmth may turn to love,⁣ That light may lead to freedom, ⁣ For this we come with many fires,⁣ To light...
Read more
26 Jun 2023
Midsummer Festival
Midsummer Festival Pageant The pageant is one of the highlights of the day & heralds the start of the afternoon celebrations with lots of fun to be had at the sideshows on the South Lawn. 
Read more

Class 12 Leavers' Gift

{alt_tag}

Class 12 wanted to create a piece that every single student in the School had part to play. They went to ask each class person for a thumbprint to build up the leaves on the tree.

 

Job Vacancies

Would you like to work in a natural and holistic environment the will breathe life back in to teaching, learning and education?

Here are some of our current vacancies at Michael Hall:

Chemistry Teacher BTEC Art & Design Teacher
Site Team Operative School Receptionist
Part Time Minibus Driver Visiting Music Teacher
Class Teacher Basket Weaving Teacher
Part Time Spanish Teacher Teaching Assistant
Individual Needs Assistant Early Childhood Practitioner FT &PT

For more information and to apply, please visit our website: Job Vacancies 

Instrumental Lessons at Michael Hall:

Learning to play an acoustic musical instrument is considered the world over to be of fundamental significance to the development of every child. The educational and developmental benefits have been extensively confirmed through scientific research.  You can read about these benefits in this beautiful piece of writing by our Upper School student, Katya in class 9.  

Michael Hall - Upper School Spring Festival

Learning a musical instrument at Michael Hall can be applied for from class 3 upwards. First, though, a choice needs to be made concerning which instrument to learn. Many children have a wish to play a particular instrument which should always be respected. As a general guide, for children in Class 2 or 3, the string instruments (Violin, Viola and ‘Cello) are ideal. The warmth of the melodic sound resonating against the player can be very beneficial for the child and the regular practice develops their dexterity and aural awareness in a wonderfully creative and enlivening way. Wind and brass instruments are more suited to children in Class 4 and above due to the physical demands of playing such instruments. Learning to play the Piano is a wonderful adventure, but it is difficult for younger players to be able to engage with others in a musical experience as considerable skill is needed in order to be able to accompany others on the piano.  As a parent, arranging music lessons for your child is an expensive commitment and yet the skills acquired are eminently transferable. Many of our teachers become aware of which children learn an instrument through observing the children’s work habits in their respective subject lessons, but more importantly, the holistic benefits are profound. 

If you would like your child to begin learning to play an instrument at school from September, please submit an application form by Friday 14th July. Please send them directly to our Instrumental Tuition Coordinator, Rachel Masters: [email protected]. Applications submitted after this date may need to be processed for lessons beginning later in the school year.

Julian Rolton and Rachel Masters

Dear All, 

I wanted to share with you the news of my novel - now out - which I wrote over the last five years, while my children were at Michael Hall. It’s a contemporary re-imagining of the Ancient Greek myth of Persephone, so it feels good to announce it in the wake of the Olympic weekend. I hope to be doing a workshop for Class 5, to set them on their way to write some mythical retellings of their own. 

If you read it, do get in touch to let me know how it lands with you. 

I will always be grateful to these years at Michael Hall, for enabling this book to come about. 

Matilda 

'No Season but the Summer' is an ancient myth retold for a world in crisis 

Spring and summer are my mother’s time, autumn and winter are my husband’s. What is left for me?

Long ago a deal was struck: Persephone was shared between her husband and her mother so that the earth could flourish. For nine thousand years she has done what she is told, but this year, when she climbs to earth, bringing spring, she is growing hungry for a life of her own, her mother is growing frail and now her husband wants her only for himself…..

Go here for more info or to order your copy;

https://matildaleyser.co.uk

Class 5 Olympics

This year we are hosting around 322 students from 23 Waldorf schools in England, Wales, Scotland, Cyprus and Norway for the Class 5 Olympic Games.

You are warmly invited to join us for the opening ceremony on Saturday Morning at 7:30am on the Valley Field.

{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
Olympics
7:30am – 3:30pm
01
July
Class 11 Leave on Social Practical Trip
All Day
02
July
7b Wakehurst Place Trip
All Day
04
July
Junior Choir Concert
3:15pm – 4:15pm
04
July
Junior Choir Concert
3:15pm – 4:30pm
05
July
Class 8 Ball
7:00pm – 10:00pm
07
July

Welcome to the 'Where are we now' corner!

The place to share news of old scholars and what they have been up to since leaving Michael Hall, whether it was last summer or many years ago. 

A student from 1988, went to study Computer Information Systems at Brighton University followed by a Design and Technology BA with Qualified Teaching Status taking a further 2 years. After graduating, he taught in several large state secondary schools with upwards of 1500 students. Following 15 years in the state system, he returned to his Steiner roots and took up a position in a Steiner School. 

Take a peek here every Friday to get a picture of where Steiner education takes our children in life. If you have news of an old scholar that you’d be happy to share, please let us know here: [email protected]

{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}
{alt_tag}