“Our highest endeavour is to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction in their lives.”

Vision Statement

Our Vision is a School Community of free, responsible, and ethical contributors to our contemporary world.

History

Mansfield Steiner School was established in Maindample. It was the initiative of two local secondary teachers who wanted a different education for their own children. The land was purchased in Maindample as it was an equal distance between their homes. The mudbrick building was lovingly built by parents and teachers in any available free time. The school opened its doors in February 1986 and grew steadily over the next 10 years. It was then decided that the moving of the school into the bigger town of Mansfield would allow better access for more students. The school was moved to its present site in May 1996.

Since its founding in 1986 Mansfield Steiner School has been an integral part of the educational landscape of Mansfield and District. The school offers a rich, developmentally appropriate and ACARA approved curriculum from preschool through to the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Steiner/Waldorf schools have been educating students worldwide for over 100 years, and the Steiner method of education provides a complete program of academic and artistic courses that develop the creative and critical thinking abilities within each student. In addition to academics Steiner students are taught to have reverence for the world and a respect for life.

Mansfield Steiner School is situated in a beautiful part of Victoria with a backdrop of great beauty which we can easily take for granted. Through our extensive camps, excursions and Outdoor Education programme, the students are taught to develop a great appreciation and knowledge of their own backyard, while developing resilience, self- knowledge, and empathy. Music is an integral part of the curriculum, it permeates every subject and all students learn an instrument.

Mansfield Steiner School is a small, rural, unique, independent, non-denominational school with a strong reputation and an exciting future. The teachers have a passion for education and share common values and goals.

Our task as a school is to give our students a rich and nourishing environment that will inspire them to be their unique and individual best and prepare them for a challenging and unknown future.

Values

Goodness, Beauty and Truth

Rudolf Steiner contended that the fundamental purpose of education lies in the cultivation of students’ capacities for thinking, feeling, and willing. These essential human qualities find expression in society through the enduring principles of goodness, beauty and truth. Furthermore, they manifest in the various forms of science, art, and religion.

Goodness is the inherent moral quality that arises from understanding, empathy, and the pursuit of actions that contribute positively to the wellbeing of oneself, others, and the world.

Beauty is the reflection of harmony and balance in the natural world, nurturing our senses and inspiring our creative spirits.

Truth is a living, evolving concept that unfolds through direct experiences, personal development, and a deep connection to the natural world.

Buildings & Grounds

Classrooms and playgrounds develop both spatial and sensory experiences. We use the natural environment and materials to shape our school, providing sustainable and welcoming physical structures that facilitate healthy learning, working and playing. Melliodora hall takes its name form the ancient Melliodora tree that guards it. It is our gathering place which also houses our kitchen and an outdoor eating area that is used year round. The kitchen garden is close by and inspires all dishes.

Book A School Tour