McGregor Waldorfschool

The Whole Life Education Centre, the legal umbrella organization, was founded in 1994. Its main goal was and is to provide and encourage holistic and empowering education for children and adults. This education must have academic, artistic and practical elements and foster an ecological awareness.

"To strive to offer a fully rounded empowering education that helps individuals reach their full potential and which actively strives to overcome differences to build bridges, to develop confidence and to provide the skills and values necessary to contribute to a harmonious co-existence and a sustainable future."

At the inception it was projected that the WLEC would have the following facilities: a primary school, a high school, a bus, a hostel, community activities and small businesses.

The primary school – McGregor Waldorf School – is the first branch that was developed. The school uses a curriculum based on the educational principles of Rudolf Steiner and educates children from 3 to 12 years old.

VISION
The McGregor Waldorf School, inspired by the principles of Rudolf Steiner, enables self-motivated students to reach their full potential by their own endeavor, the guidance of dedicated teachers and the commitment of parents.
The school strives to uphold a culture of excellence, to teach and live in an ecologically sustainable environment, to embrace diversity and an ethos of respect and to educate towards the freedom of the human spirit.


Target group
Children between the ages of 3 and 18 from the various cultural communities in the village and wider environment of Robertson/Nkqubela and Ashton/Zolani.
The Maximum number of students is 150 due to limited space.

Curriculum
The Primary School offers the Waldorf Curriculum as set out by the Federation of Waldorf Schools but adapted to our situation here.This integrated approach incorporates storytelling, arts and crafts.
There are combined classes (1/2, 3/4, 5, 6/7) with four full time teachers of which three are waldorf trained and experienced and one is an experienced teacher.
The medium of teaching is English which is not easy for children of a different home language to learn to read and spell. Some volunteers from the village help with extra reading.
Two volunteers for the German Weltwärts Programme reside in the hostel for one year and assist the teachers in their classes to help with the children who need special attention.
The grade 1/2 teacher who is mainstream trained has a remedial reading group.

The Middle School (Grade 8-9) curriculum is Waldorf oriented, with practical subjects integrated with the more academic subjects.

From Grade 9 the students still have as much as possible integrated subjects but these must also meet the outcomes of the government. This grade covers all 9 learning areas as set out by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and the students write School Leaving Certificate Exams allowing them to leave school legally and enter the workforce or practical learning. For the students staying at school it starts to get them used to studying and writing exams.

The McGregor College (Grade 10-12) continues the quest to prepare young people for life by bringing about a mobile inner life and a discovery of self. While Mathematics, Language and Computer skills are essential for further study and building a working life , Visual and Dramatic Arts enhance personal and inter-personal growth while Life Orientation develops social skills and much needed awareness.

De McGregor Waldorf School is opgericht in 1994, in het jaar van de eerste democratische verkiezingen in Zuid-Afrika. Deze Steinerschool is bedoeld om een RAINBOUW school te zijn. Een plaats waar kinderen van alle taal-, culturele, sociaal - economische en raciale achtergrond samen naar school kunnen. De school heeft als hoofdopdracht een betere samenleving op te bouwen voor iedereen.
In 2012 is het nu nog steeds ten zeerste de bedoeling. De school heeft meestal kinderen van arme en zeer arme gemeenschappen (zwarte en gekleurde) die vooral wonen in de omliggende townships. Families kiezen voor deze school omdat het Engels de onderwijstaal is en een sterke nadruk legt op beeldende kunst, dramatische kunst en ambachten. De klassen zijn klein en de leraren hebben een speciale band met alle kinderen.
Het leerplan bestaat er in om de kinderen op te voeden tot volwassenen die voor zichzelf, hun gezinnen en hun gemeenschappen zorgen kunnen. Kinderen die hun empathie voor de benarde situatie van anderen kunnen inschatten en die hun ideeën en idealen kunnen omzetten in daden. Allemaal kwaliteiten die hard nodig zijn in een land dat worstelt met een beter leven voor "alle" Zuid-Afrikaanse mensen. De helft van de bevolking leeft nog steeds op of onder de grens van 40 euro per maand en 15 miljoen mensen afhankelijk zijn van de handouts van de regering om te overleven. Er zijn 3,5 miljoen kinderen die de kwalijke gevolgen hebben van HIV/AIDS en worden door hun grootouders of oudere broers en zussen groot gebracht.
De school wordt voor amper 13% gesubsidieerd door de overheid. De kosten van opleiding moet dan ook worden gefinancierd door donaties en sponsoring. Donaties en sponsering die van fundamenteel belang zijn, zodat kwaliteitsonderwijs gegarandeerd kan blijven.