2026 Prep Enrolment Applications
Thank you for your interest in enrolling at Ballarat Steiner School. We are delighted to welcome new families into our special, nature-inspired learning environment on our picturesque 10-acre campus in Mount Helen, where children develop a deep love for learning in a calm, screen-free setting.
The enrolment process for our 2026 Prep intake is as follows:
Register for a school tour – Visiting our school is the best way to experience the Steiner approach in action. Tours provide insight into how our students thrive in an environment that fosters creativity, imagination, and a natural love for learning.
Complete an Enquiry to Join Our School Form – Applications for Prep 2026 open on Monday 24 February 2025 and are due by Friday 16 May 2025.
Enrolment offers and acceptance – Placement offers will be sent out on Friday 6 June 2025. Families will need to confirm their acceptance by Friday 20 June 2025 to secure their child’s place.
Key Dates for Prep 2026 Applications
Monday 24 February - Prep 2026 enrolment applications open
Friday 16 May - Enrolment application period closes
Friday 6 June - Placement offers shared with families
Friday 20 June - Placement acceptances due
July - December: If vacancies arise, they will be allocated to families who apply outside the designated enrollment application period
Why a Steiner Prep Program is the Ideal Choice
The Steiner Prep program provides a holistic and nurturing start to primary education, fostering a love of learning through storytelling, movement, artistic expression, and play. With a focus on oral language development, practical skills, and social connection, children build strong foundations for literacy and numeracy in a calm, structured, and nature-inspired environment. This gentle, developmentally appropriate approach supports creativity, confidence, and a deep engagement with the world around them, preparing children for lifelong learning.
A Screen-Free School Day
Excessive screen time has been linked to reduced attention spans, impaired social skills, and increased anxiety in children. Early exposure can hinder emotional regulation and limit hands-on, creative play—both essential for healthy development. Many schools now rely heavily on iPads and screens to deliver lessons, reducing opportunities for deep focus, imaginative thinking, and real-world interactions.
At Ballarat Steiner School, we foster a screen-free learning environment from Prep to Class Five, allowing children to develop focus, creativity, and strong social connections through storytelling, movement, and artistic expression.
In Class Six, screens are introduced mindfully to build digital literacy in preparation for high school. This ensures students engage with technology responsibly, supported by a strong foundation in critical thinking and independent learning.
An Approach to Reading that Aligns with the World’s Leading Education Systems
In the Steiner Prep program, literacy begins with oral language development, phonics foundations, and a love of stories through storytelling, songs, rhymes, and play.
In Class One, children learn letters through creative, pictorial methods and begin writing and reading their own work. Reading is taught explicitly and creatively, with comprehension supported by our rich curriculum.
Our developmentally appropriate approach, aligned with leading education systems like Singapore and Finland, prioritises strong oral language foundations before formal reading instruction. By Class Four, students’ reading abilities align with broader education standards, but their deep curiosity and love of learning set them apart, fostering a lifelong passion for reading.