[2] The growth of the Waldorf movement in the Australian context originated from the influence of key members involved with the Anthroposophical Society of Australia.

In the 1920-40s, networking and interaction between members within the Anthroposophical Society brought about growth and interest in the implementation of the Waldorf philosophy into the Australian context.

Discussion and inspiration for starting up the first Rudolf Steiner school was co-founded by Society members Eric Nicholls and Sylvia Brose.

Brose’s introduction to the Society had been through her connections with Alice Crowther, an early member who had set up the first Steiner inspired Speech and Eurythmy studio in Sydney in 1941.

Brose would later become the educational founder, driving force and inspiration for the first Steiner School alongside Nicholls’ direction and planning.

[3] During the late 1930s, Marion Griffin and Mary Nicholls ran a small number of kindergarten classes for a few years based on Steiner Education at their home in Castlecrag (Grace, 1999 in Mowday, 2004, p. 32).

It was not until 1951 that the idea of forming a school develop formally at a meeting with Eric Nicholls, Sylvia Brose and other members of the Anthroposophical Society.

As the only teacher for the first two years at Dalcross, Brose was paid six pounds a week and was also the cleaner, school secretary and lecturer on Steiner Education.

Nicholl’s vision and planning by the end of 1966 would also result in the completion of a third building at Glenaeon, consisting of the Senior classrooms and a Science Laboratory.

[1] In particular, the concerns of the association focused on teacher training standards and was responsible for the growth of the younger pioneer schools.

It was a place for individual schools to advertise employment opportunities, cultural exchanges, intra-school support and invite members to conferences.

[5] The RSSA was also given the role of official delegates to the various State Departments of Education as the need for Steiner curriculum to be recognised increased.

[5] As a result, their work centred on defining a Steiner Education framework and standards which would suit the demands by the State Governments.

The surge in interest is expected to increase further with Gonski 2.0 placing great emphasis on critical and creative thinking, social skills and problem solving – capabilities which the Steiner philosophy has long since cultivated.

In the subject areas of English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Health and Physical Education, Technologies, Civics and Citizenship and the Arts, the ASCF modifies and shifts the sequencing of certain learning outcomes to be completed by the end of Year 10.

Recognition for this modification was sought by SEA in 2011 for English, Mathematics, Science and History, 2014 for Geography, 2017 for Health and Physical Education, Technologies, the Arts and 2018 for Civics and Citizenship.

Additionally, the learning area of eurythmy is recognised as part of The Arts section of the ASCF and the Australian Curriculum Framework.