About Our School
We empower students to create solutions to complex challenges with resilience and confidence in themselves and the world they live in.
True to the spirit and intention of Rudolf Steiner, Cairns Hinterland Steiner School (CHSS) established in 2002, is a place where goodness, beauty and truth permeate the pedagogical, physical and social fabrics. Through a balanced, well rounded education of the highest quality and based on a deep understanding of the stages of childhood development, we support each child's unique gifts and emerging potential to tap into the faculties of thinking, feeling and willing – head, heart and hands.
Nestled within 40 acres of rainforest in Kuranda, our school offers an Early Childhood, Primary and High School program. The curriculum remains firmly grounded in the core principles of Steiner education and imbued with a strong creative, music, fine arts and outdoor education program.
Within each child, strong foundations are laid for creative inspiration, for curiousity, for taking accountability and a strong moral compass. We facilitate a movement from loving external authority in the early years to internal authority through self-discipline and responsibility in the older years. We hear many wonderful stories of the capabilities of our past students whether that is from university lecturers, other school's teachers, and the community.
At Cairns Hinterland Steiner School we:
- Embrace the unique learning opportunities provided by our local environment of rainforest and reef and the cycling seasons
- Actively build relationships with our parents and local community, fostering support structures for our young people beyond life at school
- Engage with a national and international network of Steiner schools that enriches the learning experience of our students and the professional development of our staff.
- View ourselves as a community of learners – teachers, parents, students – striving to achieve individual, communal and global growth and understanding.
At our school, our students experience:
- A strong bond between teacher and student
- Beautiful indoor and outdoor learning spaces
- Small class sizes and excellent support services
- All classwork and quality materials provided
“Our highest endeavour is to develop free human beings who are able, of themselves, to impart purpose and direction to their lives.”
— Rudolf Steiner