Backlash over change to Steiner curriculum at Basket Range Primary School

One parent has unenrolled her child from an Adelaide Hills school for the 2025 year outraged over changes to the curriculum.

Outrage has erupted over plans to water down the Steiner education at Basket Range Primary School, with one parent pulling her child out over the move.

The South Australian Education Department is developing a hybrid mainstream-Steiner curriculum for the Adelaide Hills school, but angry parents have demanded it maintain a separate Steiner stream, with a petition gaining almost 1000 signatures.

The department plan aims to reverse a trend of declining enrolments at the school, which sit at just 17, but Holly Hawksworth has unenrolled her five-year-old son Alfie over the move and said more parents will follow.

Ms Hawksworth, 33, moved to the Adelaide Hills so Alfie, and her other son Addison, 3, could receive the school’s Steiner education, as she “likes how it focuses on the whole child”.

Now she said her son, who is diagnosed with ADHD, would struggle with “the way things are taught” in mainstream schooling.

Basket Range Primary School parent Holly Hawksworth with children Alfie, 5, and Addison, 3. Picture: Supplied.

“They’ve thrown these children out without a thought about what’s going to happen to them,” Ms Hawksworth said.

“It’s a lot of stress at this time of year that we don’t need.”

She has now been considering her options ahead of the 2025 school year.

“I’ve been looking at some smaller Adelaide Hills schools and we’re looking at our finances for what we can stretch.

“It could be homeschooling for the foreseeable future.”

Ms Hawksworth said there is no support for the proposed changes among parents and the school is poised to have 15 additional students join next year provided the Steiner stream is maintained.

She predicted enrolments would fall under 10 children next year and feared the school would shut.

Students during outdoor lessons at Basket Range Primary School, which parents say is at risk of closing down. Picture: Supplied

A department spokeswoman said low enrolments meant a specific Steiner curriculum stream “has not been possible”.

“To ensure both Steiner and the SA curriculum continue to be provided, the department is consulting with the school community to develop an offering that incorporates Steiner and the SA curriculum.”

The latest Education Department data forecasts there will be 22 enrolments next year at Basket Range Primary School.

The spokeswoman said closing the school is not being considered.

“We continue to monitor the situation, and we look forward to working in conjunction with staff and families in the Basket Range area on the further development of the best learning options,” she said.