York Steiner School Welcomes New Headteacher, Tracey Lucas

Tracey Lucas has been part of the York Steiner School community since her eldest child was a baby. An initial encounter at a school fair led her to choose the school for all four of her children, before training as a Nursery teacher and later taking on her first role as a Class Teacher in 2014. In this role, she guided a class through their eight years in the Main School – a cornerstone of the Steiner Waldorf approach.

As Headteacher, Tracey is committed to maintaining the school’s broad and balanced curriculum, while ensuring the school remains financially accessible through its graduated fee system and assistance programme. She also emphasises the school’s long-standing approach of delaying technology use until age 12, giving children the space to develop core skills, resilience, and creativity before introducing digital tools.

“We believe that school should be a smartphone-free zone,” Tracey explained. “Our ethos and education are more relevant than ever in this age of overexposure to screens, and many families are now seeking to balance screen time with green time, ensuring children spend ample time in nature to support their mental and physical well-being.” Community and environmental sustainability are also at the heart of Tracey’s vision. She aims to strengthen connections with the local York community while promoting global citizenship and ecological responsibility through the curriculum.

Chair of Trustees, Simone Doctors, welcomed Tracey into her new role: “We’re thrilled to welcome Tracey Lucas as the new Headteacher. Her deep love and understanding of the school and the Steiner Waldorf education will underpin the continued growth and success of the school under her leadership. Our previous Headteacher, Ruth Crabtree, did an excellent job of developing the school, and I’m excited to see Tracey take the school forward from these strong foundations.”

More information about the school.

York Steiner School now offers education up to age 16, with students sitting GCSEs in maths and English alongside the innovative Ofqual-accredited Crossfield’s Integrated Education qualification. The school opens to the public twice a year for seasonal fairs and also hosts regular open days and enquirers’ mornings. Applications are now open for the September 2026 – July 2027 school year, with places available in Kindergarten, some Main School classes, and the Upper School. Parent and Child groups also run throughout the year.

For more information, please visit: www.yorksteinerschool.org