High School

Class 7, 8 & 9: The Awakening of the Intellect

As students transition into adolescence, their capacity for abstract reasoning expands, prompting a more academically rigorous curriculum. The material is presented to students through real-world scenarios and creatively enriched methods. Our high school curriculum emphasises both practical knowledge and creativity, ensuring that graduates are adept at synthesising information, rather than merely memorising isolated facts. They become flexible, creative thinkers, eager to take intellectual risks.

Whether studying and performing a Shakespearean play, tending to a garden, lifting a car with the power of pulleys, learning to operate a sewing machine, walking with camels, or hiking along the Larapinta Trail, students engage in a holistic education designed to stretch their abilities and challenge them in various ways.

Each high school year level is supported by a Class Guardian, who provides security and continuity of care. The Class Guardian begins and ends each day with activities such as bush walks, games, or movement and music, fostering a sense of community and well-being. Throughout the day, subjects are taught by specialists who are passionate about their fields of expertise.

We are pleased to announce the completion of Stage 1 of our new High School building block. Our high school now boasts a purpose-built classroom and facilities on our existing campus. This building includes a dedicated classroom and an outdoor handwork space. Stage 2, which will be completed by the middle of 2026, includes a science lab, art room, and ablution block. Students in Central Australia will now have access to quality high school Steiner education in exceptional facilities. This development will further enhance our holistic learning environment, fostering the human spirit, social consciousness, and citizenship in young adults.

The Main Lesson

The Main Lesson is a unique element in Steiner education. Each morning for 3-5 weeks, every year level in the high school learns about one ‘big idea’. In this block of time, teachers and students explore in great depth one large topic, ranging from Shakespeare to Optics & Electricity.

Our Main Lessons tell the story of humanity and our journey over epochs from the ancient consciousness of legends to how we think in the contemporary world. The Main Lessons give every student a connection with the narrative that is Our Story, the human story, locating each student in a living tradition.

Physical Education

We provide a range of physical education activities for students. We offer a variety of sporting activities, both team sports and individual sports. Sport is played for exercise, health, agility and enjoyment – the competitive element is not particularly stressed. Our students participate in the NT Central Region Sport Program were they learn skills in sports such as netball, golf, basketball, AFL, volley ball and they participate in events such as cross-country, athletics and swimming.

Technology and media

The teaching of Information Technology (computers) commences in Class 7 as students develop the capacity to understand both the operational aspects of technological devices and how to properly manage the various demands that technology places upon us in our modern lives.

Students start by learning about mechanical aspects of how a computer works and develop skills such as touch typing and desktop publishing. Later, students learn about the current digital revolution and how it is reshaping our lives, as well as how to evaluate a source for validity and the importance of curating our personal online spaces when utilising social media.

Our students learn to appreciate and utilise technology as a useful tool, while remaining mindful of its capacity to dominate our lives.

The High School Curriculum

Class 7

The students are becoming accustomed to a whole new way of learning in high school, with new teachers, in a new space and sometimes new peers. It is a time of great transformation as they grapple with changing and developing mindsets and maturing bodies. It is a time that requires courage and a willingness to venture forth and try new things. Camps explore areas of local beauty and encourage students to surpass their own expectations. Maths and sciences engage the students with activities that get them to observe and quantify the world around them.

Class 8

Traditionally the year students turned 14 was important, as it was a time when apprenticeships began. And it’s important to mark this time with a number of milestones and challenges to overcome in the student’s journey towards adulthood. It is also a time of grappling with concepts of self-identity. In response to these inner developments, the curriculum offers the students the chance to perform in a Shakespearean production, - working as a team to achieve something that can seem quite daunting from the outset. Another such milestone is the Class 8 Project where students pursue an interest they are passionate about and then share what they learnt with their peers and school community.

Class 9

Is a time of great energy, strong emotions and strong opinions. In response to this students are presented with the world in a plethora of different ways. The students engage in a number of camps to be out in the natural world. Complex concepts such as the refugee crisis are explored and examined, and questions of morality, freedom, justice and equality are studied through the lens of 20th Century History. It is a time of profound change and dramatic upheaval.

Enriching the Journey...

Complementing the weekly program, the following subjects are explored in intensive learning blocks throughout the school year.

FARM STAY (Class 9)

Our Class 9 students have embark on a three-week Agriculture Camp at Kumbartcho Farm in Kilkivan (QLD). This camp is a cornerstone of the Steiner curriculum, offering invaluable opportunities for young people to step beyond the classroom and into meaningful, hands-on learning. Immersed in a new environment alongside their peers, students develop practical and physical skills while fostering resilience, independence, and self-sufficiency. At an age when they are moving from childhood into young adulthood, this extended camp nurtures confidence, adaptability, and a deeper appreciation for both personal differences and community life.

The farm itself is a regenerative project guided by the principles of biodynamics, syntropic agroforestry, and Natural Sequence Farming. Under the guidance of the farm’s owner, Shane, and supported by staff, students take part in activities such as:

Water management and flood mitigation, learning about the vital role of contours in farming
Planting trees to regenerate forests
Vegetable gardening for food supply
Farm maintenance, cooking, cleaning, and cooperative living

These experiences not only teach vital skills but also give students a lived understanding of regenerative farming, sustainability, and biodynamic principles. Working alongside peers at this stage of life strengthens their sense of community, responsibility, and connection to the natural world.

WORK EXPERIENCE (Class 9)

Work experience provides our students with an opportunity to contribute to the community and gain insight into how different professions serve society. Guided by a workplace mentor, students learn about the skills and values of a profession while reflecting on how their own gifts and interests might shape their future.

Through this program, students:

Prepare for the workplace by learning about the profession, creating a CV, and writing an introduction letter.
Spend time in a professional setting under the guidance of a mentor.
Keep a daily journal and reflect with their teacher during the placement.
Share their experience in a class presentation, highlighting the tasks they undertook and the contribution of the profession to society.

Placements are organised by the school and all supervisors meet child safety and school policy requirements.

At The Alice Springs Steiner School, our offering extends to Class 9, providing a rich and holistic Steiner curriculum that prepares young people for life and learning beyond our school.

Our graduates are well equipped to transition into mainstream schools to complete their senior secondary studies. The breadth and depth of the Steiner approach — which nurtures intellectual, social, and practical capacities — ensures that students move forward with resilience, independence, and confidence. We work closely with families to support this transition, ensuring that students can take advantage of the diverse opportunities offered in senior schooling, such as the skills needed for academic success in a variety of settings.