Testimonials
Rowan
October 2024
My time at The Grove has taught me so much about studying, life, people, and myself, alongside the academics, crafts, and practical skills.
Having been there from the very beginning four years ago, I've achieved both my level two and level three diplomas, and have been involved in a project, education, community, and way of thinking that has been so incredibly valuable and important in setting me up for life in the world today.
I have gained skills in leadership, critical and creative thinking, problem solving, collaboration, active listening, time management, and reflective and reflexive practice, among many others.
Now at university, I feel well equipped to take responsibility for my learning, contribute to my community, and always be resilient, adaptable, and empathetic, knowing who I am and how I can do good in the world.
Raf
October 2024
The Grove has equipped me with a variety of skills necessary to study independently. The Grove’s approach alongside the demanding Crossfields Diploma has developed my ability to be self sufficient, think flexibly and critically, and be comfortable with interdisciplinary study. As I take on four A-Levels independently, while applying to study law, I could have asked for no better preparation than the past four years at the Grove.
Zac
Spring 2024
I attended The Grove for just a year before going to Cirencester College and starting working in recording studios. I came there having had a fairly awful experience of mainstream education the year prior. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Grove and found it to be the best Waldorf experience among the schools I attended, including Kings Langley Steiner School and Wynstones. The Grove truly exemplifies Steiner education done correctly. The staff were amazing, extremely respectful, encouraging and supportive. The environment there boosted my confidence significantly and helped me become a much more well-rounded person. I cannot speak highly enough of The Grove or truly explain what it did for me in my short year there. It was a wonderful, life-changing experience.
Parent
Spring 2024
My daughter joined the Grove in Class 1 in September 2022. I wanted her to join the Grove because it places relationship - to ourselves, to others and community, and to the land - centre stage in the ethos of its education. In the context of our wider world and its possible joys and great challenges - this feels like a relevant education, an education that meets the needs of our times. Having been at the Grove for some time now, I can see that this is not just words but is a daily embodied and lived aspiration, to the best of the team’s capacity and resources.
I don’t have a deep knowledge of Steiner, and I am less interested in dogmas, and much more interested in how I see it manifest at the Grove in terms of an emphasis on handwork and the arts, and celebrating the rhythm and seasons of the year. I particularly appreciate how it supports a quiet sense of reverence. Reclaiming sacred ways of being also feels like a highly relevant education.
My daughter loves the Grove. She loves developing her handwork skills (think cosy afternoons in the cabin knitting and storytelling), games on the playing field, making music together, painting and form drawing, and working towards performances. She is less enthusiastic about mucking out the cow shed in the middle of winter - but I am all in favour of this! How it builds her connection with life on the land and her resilience. I wouldn’t have a hope of persuading her to take part in this kind of activity outside of the Grove!
She adores the mentors and tutors with whom she has strong connections. She loves time playing with her friends, and being part of a mixed age community and the opportunity to be around young adults. This provides inspiration for the younger years when they have the opportunity to see performances, music, art from the older years. A sense of community is deepened through the seasonal gatherings and festivals.
The three days each week are rich and joyful. My daughter is flourishing in terms of artistic ability, navigating group dynamics and her sense of herself as capable and welcome, just how she is. She would like to add that she has learnt that group dynamics can be challenging - and - that they can be worked through . These are skills for life.