The Steiner Academy Hereford Review 2026: State-Funded Steiner Education, Ages 3 to 16

A Steiner education in a state-funded setting is unusual in England, and it shapes almost every part of daily school life here. The early years provision is a major strength, with children supported to become confident, independent learners through practical activity and strong routines. By secondary phase, the curriculum remains distinctive, blending mainstream academic subjects with Steiner elements such as eurythmy and handwork.

Inspection evidence points to calm, purposeful learning and strong personal development, alongside leaders’ focus on wellbeing and careers guidance as students approach the end of Year 11.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The school’s identity is rooted in Steiner principles, which tends to mean learning is structured around development, creativity, and hands-on practice rather than a constant exam tempo. Official inspection evidence describes a purposeful atmosphere where pupils focus well, work hard, and respond to calm adult guidance when concentration dips. Relationships between pupils and staff are described as respectful, warm, and courteous, which matters in an all-through context where many families want continuity from early years into adolescence.

Early years is not treated as a bolt-on. The kindergarten phase is positioned as a genuine foundation stage where children are prepared carefully for what comes next. Practical learning is a consistent thread, including activities such as growing and cooking food, alongside craft skills such as weaving. That kind of curriculum typically appeals to families who want education to feel tangible and developmentally paced, especially at ages 3 to 7.

Leadership continuity is also relevant. The principal is Mrs Kate Andrews, and a 2018 Ofsted letter states she was appointed as the school’s new principal in September 2018. That timeline gives a meaningful window for shaping practice, culture, and safeguarding systems in a school with a distinctive pedagogy.

Because this is an all-through school, performance needs looking at in two parts, primary outcomes and GCSE outcomes.

Primary outcomes

The school’s most recent published Key Stage 2 picture is challenging. In 2024, 17% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 1% reached greater depth, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading was stronger than the other elements, with 48% reaching the expected standard, while mathematics and science were notably weaker.

On FindMySchool’s primary outcomes ranking (based on official data), it is ranked 15,088th in England and 43rd in Hereford, placing it below England average.

For parents, the practical implication is that early years strengths do not automatically translate into strong Key Stage 2 outcomes as measured by statutory tests. Families should explore how the school balances Steiner curriculum priorities with the requirements of the national accountability framework, particularly for pupils likely to sit SATs in Year 6.

GCSE outcomes

At GCSE level, the picture is more stable. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 46.6, and the Progress 8 score is +1.57, which indicates students made substantially more progress than pupils nationally with similar starting points. EBacc average point score is 4.3.

On FindMySchool’s GCSE ranking (based on official data), it is ranked 2,050th in England and 4th in Hereford, which sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The key implication is that, while the primary phase results are weak secondary progress measures suggest many students do well by the end of Year 11. Families with children joining later, for example at Year 7, may therefore weigh the secondary outcomes more heavily than the Key Stage 2 picture.

Parents comparing options locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view primary and GCSE measures side by side, which is especially useful when an all-through school shows different strengths at different stages.

Curriculum design is explicitly anchored in Steiner principles and includes both mainstream examined subjects and non-examined areas such as handwork and eurythmy. The intent here is breadth and balance, with an emphasis on sequencing knowledge in a way that builds over time.

Inspection evidence points to teachers presenting key knowledge precisely in most subjects, helping pupils learn and remember what matters. Examples cited include Year 10 students applying prior mathematical learning to compound interest, and Year 5 pupils deepening understanding in botany through questioning and discussion. That combination, structured teaching plus discussion-based depth, is often what families mean when they say they want learning that is both rigorous and humane.

A notable area for development is transition between early years and early “lower school”. The inspection identifies that some pupils in the earliest stages of lower school are not consistently supported to make links to prior learning from kindergarten, which can lead to misunderstandings and gaps. For parents of children moving from nursery into the next phase, this is a useful focus point for questions during admissions conversations.

This school runs to age 16 and does not offer a sixth form, so progression at the end of Year 11 is a key planning point. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils receive unbiased information about potential next steps after school and high-quality careers guidance, which is important when students are moving into other providers at 16.

In practical terms, many students will progress to local sixth form colleges, school sixth forms, or further education routes across Hereford and the surrounding area. Families should check which post-16 providers best fit their child’s intended pathway, particularly if they are considering subjects that are not universally available, such as specialist arts or technical routes.

Admissions should be understood across two distinct entry points.

Reception entry, September 2026

Herefordshire’s coordinated process states that the online application window for Reception places for September 2026 opened on 15 September 2025 at 9am and closed on 15 January 2026. The national offer day for Reception places is 16 April 2026.

Year 7 entry, September 2026

Herefordshire’s secondary transfer information sets a deadline of 31 October 2025 for Year 7 entry in September 2026. It also states that outcomes are notified on the national offer date of 2 March 2026. Open evenings for Herefordshire secondary admissions typically take place in September and October, and the council notes that prospective families should check schools directly for dates where listings are not specified.

Demand and competitiveness

The latest available admissions dataset indicates 33 applications for 24 offers on the primary entry route, with the school marked as oversubscribed and a subscription proportion of 1.38 applications per place. This is not extreme by English standards, but it does suggest that some families will not secure their preferred outcome in a given year.

If you are weighing the likelihood of a place, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for understanding the local context around admissions, then checking the local authority guidance for the rules that apply in the relevant year.

Wellbeing is described as central to leaders’ vision, with pupils’ mental health placed clearly in the foreground. Behaviour and attitudes are described as exemplary, with pupils supporting each other and poor behaviour rarely affecting learning.

Ofsted also confirmed safeguarding as effective in the December 2018 monitoring inspection. More recently, the July 2023 graded inspection judged safeguarding arrangements effective and described safeguarding as well embedded in the culture, with staff training kept up to date.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described in inspection evidence as being driven by early identification and clear information for staff about individual needs, with many teachers adapting teaching effectively. For families considering the school for a child with additional needs, the practical question is how consistently that adaptation works across phases and subjects, and what specialist input is available without relying on external services.

The extra-curricular programme is described as rich and diverse, with examples including dance, coding, and circus skills. This matters because, in a Steiner context, enrichment is not simply “after school activity”; it is often part of how confidence, coordination, and collaboration are developed across age groups.

Residential experiences also feature. The inspection report references a Year 9 residential trip to the Gower, positioned as enhancing the curriculum. For families, the implication is twofold. First, learning is reinforced through experiences outside the classroom. Second, there may be additional costs for trips and activities, even in a state-funded school, so it is sensible to ask what is typical across a year group.

The curriculum itself contributes to the broader offer. Handwork and eurythmy are taught as non-examined subjects and are described as being studied with great skill. For some pupils, these areas become the place they shine, particularly those who do best when learning is practical and embodied rather than purely desk-based.

The school serves Much Dewchurch and the wider Hereford area, and daily travel is a real consideration for families coming from across the city or rural villages. Without reliable published detail available here on start and finish times, families should confirm the school day directly with the school, then assess travel time in both peak morning and afternoon conditions.

Nursery provision is available, but specific nursery fee amounts should be checked directly with the school. Government-funded hours are available for eligible families, and it is worth clarifying how funded hours interact with session patterns and wraparound options.

Wraparound care arrangements are not clearly published in the accessible sources used for this review. Families who need breakfast and after-school care should confirm availability, hours, and costs directly with the school before relying on the option.

• Primary outcomes as measured at Key Stage 2. The most recent dataset shows low attainment against expected standards at the end of Year 6. Families should explore how the school supports pupils who need a more explicit bridge between Steiner curriculum design and statutory assessment expectations.

• Transition between early years and early lower school. Inspection evidence flags inconsistent linking of prior learning for some pupils at the start of lower school, which can create gaps. This is a sensible area to ask about if your child is moving up from kindergarten.

• No sixth form on site. Planning for post-16 starts earlier than in schools with a built-in sixth form, and students will need a clear pathway for A-levels, vocational routes, or apprenticeships from Year 11 onwards.

• Oversubscription risk. Primary entry is recorded as oversubscribed in the latest admissions dataset, so families should keep realistic contingency options alongside their preference.

This is a distinctive all-through state school that combines Steiner education with the expectations of the English accountability system. Early years provision and personal development are clear strengths in inspection evidence, and secondary progress measures suggest many students do well by the end of Year 11.

Best suited to families who actively want a Steiner approach, value creativity and practical learning, and are comfortable engaging with a school whose outcomes look different across phases. Families should pay particular attention to Key Stage 2 attainment, transition between early years and lower school, and the practicalities of moving on at 16.