About Steiner Education Development Trust (SEDT)

The Steiner Education Development Trust (SEDT) was formed in 2014 to develop and manage the Certificate of Steiner Education (CSE) for use in New Zealand and world-wide.

This CSE provides Steiner schools globally with a contemporary and rigorous secondary school qualification. High-school graduates can use this to gain entry to university and other tertiary education while retaining the Steiner curriculum and pedagogy.

Registered Charity

Steiner Education Development Trust (SEDT) is a New Zealand company, wholly owned by the Steiner Education Development Foundation (SEDF), a registered New Zealand charity.

We have a board of independent directors and experienced staff all who have a long and deep involvement in Steiner education

Private Training Establishment

SEDT is a Private Training Establishment (PTE) offering a training course in assessment practice for teachers in Steiner Schools. This training scheme is quality assured by the New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA) and is called the Certificate in Assessment Design and Practice. Read our latest successful EER report here.

Our People

SEDT has a board of independent trustees/directors who have a long association with Steiner education and are ultimately responsible for its governance and operation. SEDT also employs a General Manager of the Trust who runs the operation.

DR NEIL BOLANDChair

Dr Neil Boland is Chair of the Board and Senior Lecturer in Education at Auckland University of Technology, where he works across education programmes. He has a long association with Steiner education, having worked as an early childhood, primary and secondary teacher in Steiner schools around the world.

ELAINE BEADLE Trustee

Elaine is a former international organisation and social development consultant. She co-founded two of New Zealand’s Steiner schools.
She brings management and governance skills and as a fluent German speaker is currently supporting our expansion into Europe.

GLEN SAUNDERSGeneral Manager and Finance

Glen has extensive background in finance, management and governance. He has been involved in Steiner education for over 40 years. Glen is currently General Manager of SEDT in addition to being a Board Director.

Phone +64 21329 156
Email: gsaunders@sedt.co.nz

NOEL JOSEPHSONTrustee

Noel is the Managing Director of Ceres Enterprises, widely recognised as the premier distributor of certified organic and biodynamic products in New Zealand and Australia. He is also a board member of Greenpeace New Zealand Incorporated.

TRISHA GLOVERTrustee

Trisha Glover is currently the Culture and Development Manager at Hohepa Hawkes Bay. She has 23 years’ experience as a Waldorf parent and has served as a member of the Michael Park Steiner Schools Trust both as a Trustee and as Chair. Trisha is currently Chair of the Anthroposophical Society of New Zealand.

Co-workers

KAREN BRICE-GEARDEducation Director

Karen has worked in Waldorf Education for 35 years as an eurythmist, teacher and principal. She has been instrumental in the development of NZCSE as a recognised NZQA qualification.

Karen oversees both the national and international development of the NZCSE. She chairs the Qualifications Committee which is responsible for the educational management and development of the certificate. She also promotes the CSE in Europe and manages its implementation in schools there, along with establishing a close working relationship with the European Council for Steiner Waldorf Education (ECSWE).

Phone: +64 27428 4477
Email: Kbricegeard@sedt.co.nz

MARK MCGAVOCK Moderation and Systems Director

Mark has worked in Steiner Education for 30 years as class teacher, high school teacher and administrator.

In his role, he works mainly with high schools in NZ and Australia. He also manages the external moderation system for all schools offering the NZCSE and is responsible for further developing and maintaining the SEDT website and associated database.

Phone: +64 27773 1646
Email: mmcgavock@sedt.co.nz

KATHARINA WENDT Country Manager for Germany

Katharina coordinates external moderation and helps with the CSE processes in schools in Germany. She is a consultant in the field of not-for-profit organisations and manufacturing companies.

With experience as a Steiner Waldorf teacher – and caring for the tasks of school development for many years – have deeply influenced her attitude to her consultancy. She specialises in organisation development as well as leadership issues in a complex context and also works with young people around the threshold they have to cross when they begin their working life.

Email: kwendt@sedt.co.nz

JAN SWANNCountry Manager for UK

Jan has worked for many years in Steiner education, initially in management at the Bristol Steiner School and subsequently joining the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship as an advisor, working with school communities to develop robust structures and strategies to enable them to grow and flourish.

Jan has over 25 years’ experience in not-for-profit organisations as a fundraising and organisation development consultant primarily in the Arts, Education and Children & Young People Sectors.

Email: jswann@sedt.co.nz

Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility—these three forces are the very nerve of education.

― Rudolf Steiner

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