Leadership & Governance
St Paul’s Steiner School and St Paul's Steiner Building are companies limited by guarantee; they are governed by their memorandum and articles of Association and are registered as charities with the Charity Commission. Together the Charities provide the legal framework for the practice and development of Steiner Waldorf education. All parents with children attending St Paul’s Steiner School are invited to become members of the Associations. Membership is also open to friends of the school (such as ex-parents and alumni) and other interested parties. Details of how to apply together with the Memorandum and Articles of the Association are available from the Secretary to the Associations via the School Office or from the Chair of Trustees.
The Association holds an annual AGM when the Trustees are appointed and held accountable by the members for the effective governance of the school. The Annual accounts are presented to members together with the Trustees’ reports.
The latest accounts can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
TRUSTEES
The trustees are volunteers who provide strategic leadership and accountability to the school. They hold legal and financial responsibility and ensure Independent School Standards are met. The trustees work to make the school successful setting the right strategic direction and enabling an effective Pedagogical and Administrative management team to deliver it. It is about agreeing priorities and monitoring progress towards them. It is not about running or managing the school – that is the job of the paid professionals.
Working as a team, the trustees give their time to support and challenge the leadership team as they strive for the best possible education, learning environment and future prospects for the children in our school. They aim to create robust accountability, oversight and assurance in terms of the education and financial performance at St Paul’s.
The trustees meet at least twice a term in the evenings.
Trustees are proposed by the St Paul’s Steiner Project Association members or can be co-opted by the existing trustees and then ratified at the next AGM. If you are interested in becoming a trustee and have skills which may support a particular role please feel free to speak to any of the current trustees.
Click here, for the list of trustees and their roles.
All emails are confidential. Alternatively, you can write to:
Isabella Benson – Chair of the Trustees
St Paul’s Steiner School
1 St Paul’s Road
London
N1 2QH
Tel: 0207 226 4454
HEAD TEACHER
Our Head Teacher, Anna Retsler NPQH, provides overall leadership, and develops the direction, vision, values and priorities of the school. She also implements and evaluates the school’s policies, practices and procedures. She sits in the School Business Team and in the Teaching and Learning Meetings.
To contact Ms Retsler, please email: schooloffice@stpaulssteinerschool.org
COLLEGE
College defines the ethos of the Steiner Waldorf school and its curriculum.
College works in a collegial and consultative way in partnership with head teacher, teachers and staff. College has the responsibility for the Curriculum Policy.
To contact college please email: college@stpaulssteinerschool.org
College also appoints the school’s representative on the Council of the Fellowship of Steiner Waldorf Schools in the UK. https://waldorfeducation.uk/
TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAMS– T&L
The T&L groups are pedagogical leadership groups led by the Headteacher and they consist of senior teachers with identified roles and responsibilities. The focus is on pupils’ learning and teachers’ development, and the aim is to continuously improve the pedagogical provision and ensure that all childrens' needs are met. To that end, the group holds the School Improvement Plan. The T&L groups meet weekly, and the combined T&L groups meet jointly once a half term.
The EY T&L:
Headteacher – Anna Retsler
Early Years Manager – Julia Allan (Staff development and supervision)
Chair of EY TM – Sarah Newby (Pedagogical development and planning)
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead – Elena Oliver Andres (Safeguarding and promotion of pupils’ wellbeing)
Senco – Annina McCormick (Special Educational Needs co-ordinator)
The School T&L:
Headteacher – Anna Retsler (Safeguarding and promotion of pupils’ wellbeing)
Chair of TM – Ethan Reeves (Pedagogical development, planning and assessment)
Teaching Lead – Simone Freeman (Staff development)
Chair of Subject teacher meeting – Stephane Azarian (Planning, assessment and staff development for Subject teachers)
Senco – Stephen Henshall (Special Educational Needs co-ordinator)
EARLY YEARS MEETING AND TEACHERS MEETING
In these meetings, teachers work together to deepen their understanding of child development and education; curriculum development and practice. This includes planning of trips and outings, festival preparation and child study. These meetings also support weekly planning and assessment meetings held by Early Years, Classes I – III, IV and V, and the Middle School. Each meeting is held by a Chair of the meeting. If you have any questions about these, please contact :
For Early Years: Sarah Newby
For Classes: Ethan Reeves
For Subject teachers: Stephane Azarian
SAFEGUARDING GROUP
St Paul’s Steiner School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The Safeguarding Group meets weekly.
Safeguarding Lead: Tamara Allen, Administration & HR Manager
Deputy Lead for the School: Anna Retsler
Deputy Lead for Early Years: Elena Oliver Andres
To contact Safeguarding group please email: safeguarding@stpaulssteinerschool.org
FINANCE
The School Business Manager - Ashad Auckburally
Their work includes:
- supervision of facilities management and some administration
- premises
- bookkeeping
- credit control
- financial policy and funding
- CSFA
You can email the School Business Manager at finance@stpaulssteinerschool.org
ADMINISTRATION
Administration & HR Manager – Tamara Allen
-
admissions administration including tours
-
safer recruitment administration
- safeguarding children including DBS administration
- attendance audits
- triggering cycles of policy review
- liaison with statutory bodies and preparation for inspections
- administrative support for the Chairs and Co-ordinators
- First Aid
- First point of contact for internal and external communications
You can email the Administration Manager at schooloffice@stpaulssteinerschool.org
COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS
For any concerns please email Tamara Allen, Head of Admin. schooloffice@stpaulssteinerschool.org
If your concern is regarding a member of staff please contact the Head Teacher directly by emailing are@stpaulssteinerschool.org
If you are concerned that a staff member or volunteer has, or may have, harmed a child or committed a criminal offence against a child please report to the Head Teacher, Anna Retsler, are@stpaulssteinerschool.org
If your concern is regarding the welfare and safeguarding of a child please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead – Tamara Allen by emailing safeguarding@stpaulssteinerschool.org or calling 0207 226 4454.
To see the full Complaints and Concerns Policy please click here
SCHOOL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM - SBT
The SBT leads on the non-pedagogical functions of the school; finance, admin, the building, facilities, IT and compliance. Its aim is to improve the services for the benefit of the school. The SBT is led by the Head Teacher and consists of the School Business Manager, the Chair of College and the School Administration Manager. The SBT meets weekly.
Headteacher – Anna Retsler
School Business Manager – Ashad Auckburally
Chair of College – Interim Anna Retsler
Admin & HR Manager/DSL – Tamara Allen