Monday to Thursday: 8:30 am to 3:00 pm- Fridays: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
- Please see our Tuition Schedule for details.
Program Details
The grade school curriculum at Sun Haven Waldorf School carefully balances academic, artistic, and practical activities to stimulate intelligence and encourage creativity. Between the ages of seven and fourteen, children understand the world through their feelings. During these years, the teacher must be an artist - transforming intellectual facts into great imaginative pictures, deeply felt experiences, and all-engaging activities so that learning can take place.
A broad curriculum strives to achieve a balance between the sciences, mathematics, the humanities and the arts. Appreciation and reverence for the natural world and the cultural heritage of humanity penetrate the curriculum. Throughout, emphasis is placed on the development of each individual child and the integration of knowledge with the student’s own experience of life. Thus, deep involvement between student and subject becomes a source of real joy in learning.
The curriculum is structured around the main lesson - a concentrated daily two-hour session in which one subject is addressed for three or four weeks at a time. The subjects for these main lesson blocks are set out in a well-structured curriculum that meets the need of the child at each step of development. The children produce their own carefully written and illustrated lesson book for each subject. These personal creations become treasured records and reminders of all their learning.
The later morning lessons are devoted to French and English, arithmetic practice, social studies or science, as the curriculum unfolds. Specialty Subject teachers present other classes, including music, foreign languages, crafts, eurythmy (movement) and physical education and are scheduled in the afternoon whenever possible, when children are generally more restless and active.
Unique to the Waldorf approach in the elementary grades is the child’s relationship with the class teacher. While a class does meet a variety of teachers, ideally the class teacher is responsible for teaching the core curriculum to the same class of children from Grade One to Grade Eight. The unique relationship that develops between the class teacher and each child assures the depth of understanding necessary for truly productive learning, and adds to the joy and stability of these formative years.
Currently, Sun Haven Waldorf School offers a program for Grades One through Five.
For more information contact Admissions at:
- 604.741.0949
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Testimonials
Sun Haven Waldorf School has been very supportive of our family through the school's tuition adjustment program. I discovered the school when my family moved to the Sunshine Coast and at that time Sun Haven was not even on my radar, and I was not thinking about enrolling my children. Our goal was simply to get settled on the Coast and get our business transitioned from the city to the country. Once I discovered Sun Haven I knew it was an excellent fit for my children. The only challenge was that it was out of our budget at that time. I was happy to learn about the school's tuition adjustment program, and in turn was able to begin envisioning a Waldorf Education for my children. After receiving the reduced tuition for two years, and now that our family has better financial stability, we decided to give thanks to the school for their support, through a financial donation back. We could not have done it without this program. Thank you Sun Haven!
My son's love of nature has only grown since joining Sun Haven Waldorf School for Kindergarten in 2008. The fact that his sense of exploration of and curiosity about the natural world is not only encouraged, but appreciated by his classmates, only solidifies my resolve to expose him as long as possible to this education. We also appreciate tremendously the fact that the school celebrates so many festivals from so many cultures. And the fact the school is right across from the beach sure doesn't hurt! Waldorf education has been such a valuable experience for both my son and the entire family - we wouldn't have it an other way.
It was a huge leap of faith for us to switch from public school to a Waldorf School, but after having both of our daughters at Sun Haven for more than a full year we know we made the right choice. Our oldest daughter, Maggie, loves being part of a small class and feels that she’s part of a school community – both of these things have made a noticeable difference to her self confidence. Our youngest, Molly, came to the school brimming with self-confidence and we’re finding that it’s being channelled in a really positive way. Her natural creativity and energy isn’t being squashed - it’s being nurtured. These things matter a lot to us. We appreciate the way in which the Waldorf approach adapts to accommodate the individual strengths and personalities of our children.
