Almost all of England’s Steiner schools are applying to the Government for full or partial exemption from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

About 98 per cent of the Steiner schools – believed to be around 30 – are in the process of applying to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) for modifications or exemptions from some of the learning and development requirements of the EYFS. Independent Steiner kindergartens that are not funded by the Government through the early years entitlement scheme are applying to be exempt from the assessment regulation data

Janni Nicol, early childhood representative for the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship, said, “Unfortunately, we have had to apply for exemptions or modifications to some of the learning and development requirements which conflict with the Steiner Waldorf approach to formal introduction of literacy, numeracy, the requirement around electronic gadgetry and ICT, and in some cases to the assessment requirement to submit the EYFSP data.

“In the main, some local authorities have been confused about whether they can continue to fund those settings who have applied for exemptions. Those kindergartens in receipt of the Nursery Education Grant cannot afford to lose their funding. Therefore they have to work closely with their local authority to inform them in more detail about Steiner principles.”

Children at Steiner schools do not begin formal learning until they are reaching seven, which means the Steiner approach is opposed to some of the EYFS communication, language and literacy Early Learning Goals.

Ms Nicol expressed deep frustration at the complex process involved in a setting applying for exemption from the EYFS. She described it as “a long, slow and frustrating process” and added, “The process so far is taking around eight months from the original application to submission. To do this every two years (as the Government requires) is simply not workable.”

The Government has said it is to review the EYFS from October 2010.