Something is shifting in how Queensland families think about schooling — and the numbers are hard to ignore. Enrolments at Steiner and Montessori schools across the state have jumped 12.8 per cent over the past five years, climbing from around 1,804 students in 2021 to roughly 2,045 in 2025, according to an Education Department spokesperson.
Read: Sheldon College Earns National 5-Star Innovative Schools Recognition for AI-Led Teaching Overhaul
Among the new schools contributing to that growth is South East Brisbane Steiner School (SEBSS) in Thorneside, which is one of three Steiner schools to have opened in Queensland in recent years, alongside the Village School Gold Coast and Cairns Hinterland Steiner School.
For families in the Capalaba and Redlands area, SEBSS offers a local option for those seeking an alternative to mainstream schooling.
What Does a Steiner Education Actually Look Like?
Steiner education takes a markedly different approach to learning. At SEBSS, the curriculum weaves together English, mathematics, humanities, sciences and the arts into integrated, project-based learning rather than treating each subject in isolation. The school’s stated mission is to provide children with a holistic education that balances academic, artistic and real-world learning, with a strong emphasis on nurturing what it calls an “intrinsic love of learning.”
Practical and artistic activities are not elective extras here. They are central to the program. Subjects like woodwork, knitting, music and languages are taught imaginatively alongside conventional academic content. Natural materials are used extensively, and children are encouraged to develop an appreciation of the natural world as part of their broader learning.
Diverse learners, those who don’t always find success in traditional classroom settings, are a particular focus. The school’s philosophy holds that all children deserve increased opportunities to experience achievement, including those who are not always successful in traditional classrooms.
Why Families Are Looking Elsewhere
The statewide trend reflects a growing interest in alternative schooling that, according to industry observers, has been building since at least 2019. Industry voices have pointed to what some are calling a “crisis in education,” driven by growing parental frustration with increasing rigidity in traditional school settings. Many families have expressed frustration that the mainstream curriculum lacks the flexibility to meet the individual needs of their children.
Experts have offered an additional lens on the trend, suggesting that broader societal anxieties may also be at play. So-called “negative social moods,” linked to distrust of mainstream institutions and concerns about ideological tensions playing out in schools, are thought to be pushing parents toward environments they perceive as more values-driven and emotionally safe for their children.
That sentiment resonates locally. Capalaba State College has run its own Montessori program since 2019, with school leadership acknowledging that while mainstream schools do important work, they do not meet every child’s needs, and that genuine family choice in education matters.
A Shift That Looks Set to Continue
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek has said the state believes parents are best placed to make decisions about their children’s schooling, and remains committed to creating inclusive school environments across Queensland.
Read: Thorneside Rapper Asher Iyer Advances To Australian Idol Top 30
For families in the Redlands and south-east Brisbane corridor, SEBSS offers a local alternative to mainstream schooling. As one school year rolls into the next, it seems more and more parents are deciding that for their child, the mainstream path simply isn’t the right fit, and they’re not waiting around to find out what the alternative might offer.
Featured image: South East Brisbane Steiner School (Photo credit: Google Street View)
Published 19-March-2026
