This co-educational school, founded in 1957, takes students from preschool to Year 12 on three campuses. In addition, parent/child groups are run at both the preschool and K-2 campus. A new extended-hour community preschool, opened in 2006 in Willoughby, students in Kindergarten to Year 2 at Castlecrag, while the remainder of the school is set on 4.5 hectares of bushland at Middle Cove.
In line with its motto, “Unfolding Individual Journeys”, the school bases its educational philosophy on the principles of Rudolf Steiner through five programs run in each year level in a developmentally appropriate way: academic, altruistic, aesthetic, artisan and active wilderness. The school provides a variety of options during Years 11 and 12 that allow access to university, with senior college HSC outcomes of a consistently high standard.
Academic program: A rigorous education that takes the growing child through a broad and inspiring range of subjects, meets all requirements for Board of Studies and National Curriculum, and produces excellent results in Year 12, including the HSC.
Electives Years 7 to 10: English, Design and Technology, Geography, German, History, Japanese, Mathematics, Music, PD/Health/PE, Visual Arts, Eurythmy and Industrial Technology.
Electives Years 11 and 12: Ancient and Modern History, Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology, Drama, English (all courses), Geography, German, Japanese, Mathematics (all courses), Music, Physics, Visual Arts, VET, Open High School courses.
Sport: Students experience a broad range of sports in the active program and take part in at least one camp per year in the wilderness program. Glenaeon has a well-developed active wilderness program of which camps are part.
All students in Year 9 are offered the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh, the outdoor part of which all students complete; and all Year 9 students complete the Life Saving Bronze Medallion. Glenaeon is a member of the NSW Combined Independent Schools Sports Council.
Extracurricular activities: Junior and senior choirs, orchestra, instrumental ensembles, drama, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, chess, craft and woodwork courses (extra costs for some activities). Glenaeon participates in International Student Exchange programs. A co-curricular program of sports runs through the week and year, which includes touch football, swim squad, athletics, basketball, fencing and netball.
Glenaeon is a member of ISD, an Independent High Schools’ Sports Association and each year students compete with other independent schools in touch football, basketball, cross-country, soccer, netball, athletics and swimming. In addition the school competes with other Steiner schools in a Year 5 Greek Olympics: running, wrestling, long jump, discus and javelin and high school swimming and athletics.
Welfare and personal development: Glenaeon fosters a broad and compassionate world view in students, encouraging the embracing of differing cultural and religious perspectives. Christian, as well as other appropriate festivals are celebrated either by the whole school or on a class-by-class basis. A relationship of trust between students and teachers is built up over a considerable period — class teachers remain with their classes from Years 1 to 8 and class guardians look after Years 9 to 12, forming the basis for pastoral care and an approach to discipline. The discipline strategies selected attempt to bring about a heightened sense of personal responsibility in the individual. A community code operates and there are clear policies concerning bullying and the use of illicit drugs, including alcohol and tobacco.
Special features: Glenaeon fosters community relationships at all levels including a collegial Management Group.
From the school: Congratulations to our 2010 graduates who are now pursuing a range of tertiary pathways from Science to Commerce.