19/11/2012 Inside Out South West

Hello and welcome to Inside Out Southwest. Stories and

investigations from where you live. Tonight, inside the Southwest's

controversial new free school, how the views of the man who inspired

it have caused fierce debate. government shouldn't waste state

funds on schools that teach nonsense, it's a waste of money.

Rudolf Steiner was not a racist. And these schools do not promote

anything like that. Also tonight, the council selling land from under

the feet of south-west farmers. was devastated because we've put a

hell of a lot into this. We think it's a shortsighted policy actually.

And Mike is in Devon discovering one of autumn is greatest natural

spectacles. He's strutting his stuff! Look at that! Such a

handsome animal. I'm Sam Smith and First tonight, for years private

Steiner schools have been popular with parents prepared to pay the

fees. But now, amid much debate, a state funded Steiner school have

opened in the Southwest. It's the first time public money has been

used to set one up and that's angered some critics who say

parents aren't being told enough about the controversial philosophy

that underpins them. I've been investigating.

# Fire gnomes. Fire gnomes. Rowan and his mum Alice Irving are

giving thanks for an afternoon snack.

# Shine so bright. #. Their song to the fire gnomes is

based on the writings of Rudolf Steiner. A man who said natural

forces like fire and wind were animated by spirits like fire

gnomes which can't be seen. Make our candle shine so bright.

Steiner's spiritual insights have inspired some but been ridiculed by

others. For Alice, the fire gnomes are no more harmful than the tooth

fairy. It's all about bringing a sense of

wonder about things, it's a lovely little story and we talk about the

fire gnomes when we go out and have a fire outside. It brings another

level of magic to it really. It is September and Rowan's first

day at school. He's one of 130 pupils at the brand-new state

funded Steiner Academy in the Somerset town of Froome. We started

becoming aware of Steiner as you do when you are looking for

alternatives when he was quite small. And I think that children

need to learn how they fit into the world first and that's the most

important thing. And learning, formal learning, follows on from

that, I think. And I hope Rowan can take that level of learning and

take that out into the world. passionate group of parents has

managed to get the school to this point despite vociferous objections.

The headteacher Trevor has been in Steiner education all his working

life. So, good morning everybody! This is

going to be very brief. There's a lot to do but firstly... That's a

special moment. That's the moment when we have opened and woken up a

new school, our school here. It's the first time public money

has been used to set up a Steiner school. And that's angered sceptics

who are questioning the philosophy behind it.

The government shouldn't waste state funds on schools that teach

nonsense. That's a waste of the public's money of taxpayers money

and these schools are legitimised by the fact they are now gaining

state funding. Not only should we study the cosmos

and the stars, we should also look for the stars and the cosmos within

Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian philosopher who died in 1925. He

said he had a clairvoyant ability which gave him a direct insight

into a spiritual world. And it's this spiritual science or

anthroposophy that forms the basis Children aren't taught to write

until they are seven. Research has suggested that a delayed start

reading does improve exam results. But Steiner was concerned reading

too early might damage a child's path towards reincarnation. He did

have some ideas on reincarnation, I wouldn't say he believed in it but

he put those ideas out there as indications, questions and as areas

of research for people to explore themselves. He's not the first

person to have done this. He's not the only person. It's a fairly

broadly held notion all over the world that the concept of

reincarnation. Do you believe in reincarnation? I am open to it as a

possibility, yes. One of the most controversial aspects of Steiner's

philosophy is he said reincarnation was related to race. He said skin

colour was an indication of a person's stage of personal

development with black - schwarz people - being the least developed

and white - weiss - people the most. For some local people, a school

inspired by the ideas of a man who held such views is unacceptable.

Steiner basically believes that the highest level of human evolution is

the white Aryan and within that group it is those of Nordic and

German descent which is exactly the sort of idea the Nazis were pushing

It's only a tiny part of Steiner's work but it is one which concerns

newly qualified Steiner teacher Daisy Powell. Steiner didn't

actually write very much about race but there is a fraction of his work

that could be construed as promoting the idea of hierarchical

evolution through the races. Which is obviously a very controversial

and deplorable idea. I do acknowledge that some of the things

that were said in the 1920s do not sound quite right today. They might

not have sounded right in the 1920s either. And what I am saying is

fundamentally Rudolf Steiner was not a racist and these schools do

not promote anything like that. you accept some of his views could

be interpreted as racist? I think I would accept some of his views in

today's climate, using today's language, could be viewed as that.

Daisy Powell is positive about the benefits of Steiner education but

she's worried about the potential for anthroposophy to become a

belief system. I think what can happen with

Steiner practitioners is that they might put some of his ideas into

practice, find that they work very well and prove to be true and then

you come to accept everything that Steiner says as being infallible

which is a dangerous way to Steiner schools insist they don't

represent a particular philosophy but critics are sceptical. They say

parents often don't realise teachers may believe wholeheartedly

in Steiner's reincarnation theory. Be sceptical of what they tell you

because the Steiner groups are very good at saying we don't teach

anthroposophy but that's a complete misunderstanding of what the issues

around anthroposophy are. The issue is the teachers are nurtured in

these beliefs and things like karma and reincarnation.

On its website, the Steiner Academy, Froome, says it will neither

promote nor teach anthroposophy. And yet as a member of the Steiner

Schools Fellowship, it is required to have what's called an

anthroposophical impulse at its heart. You are required, are you

not, to have anthroposophy at the heart of everything you do?

In the name of the schools we follow a certain approach, we

follow certain ideas. Anthroposophical? We carry certain

questions. Founded in anthroposophy? Well, anthroposophy

is a generic term for Steiner's work. But you are required to put

it at the heart of what you. No, we are required to teach education

that the government has funded us to teach and that is Steiner

The free schools policy has offered a lifeline to the Steiner movement

and a second Steiner free school is due to open in Exeter next year.

Rowan is settled in his new school and his mum Alice remains

optimistic about the Steiner approach.

I don't know very much of the ins and outs of anthroposophy so at

this stage I can't say whether it's a problem or not. I think, what I

already see in Steiner education is a strong spiritual background. A

sort of connecting to something wider, a sense of connection with

nature and there being something bigger than asked. And that's

something, a paradigm that underlines lots of different

philosophies and different religions. For me, I think that's

quite a helpful way of approaching learning, a helpful way of

The school is already oversubscribed and has ambitions to

become the largest Steiner in the country. To do that, it will have

to move to a bigger site and its critics are already trying to block

those plans. How will it all turn out? Well, only the clairvoyant

Next tonight, the budget cuts faced by many Southwest councils are

rarely out of the news at the moment that one solution is proving

particularly controversial. As Alistair has been finding out, it

involves selling off council owned farms and putting some tenant

David Crabb is one of Somerset's farmers set to lose his farm,

business and home. How did you feel when you first heard they were

selling your farm? Well, we were devastated because we have put a

hell of a lot into this. Somerset county council is not in

the business of running farms, it is not a core business. But in

Dorset the council takes a totally different approach.

We are supporting young entrants into agriculture. We need young

people who are actively involved in producing the food that we, as a

nation, need. The County Farm service dates back

to 1908. In a bid to combat rural depopulation councils bought farms

and offered them for rent, providing opportunities for people

who wanted to farm but who couldn't afford a farm of their own. And so

it has remained for a century right County Farm vacancies are rare but

there's an opportunity in Devon at Lower Farm in High Bickington, one

of 75 farms that the county council owns, with the current farm

retiring, there's a chance for somebody new. So today, they are

showing around new potential tenants. I have the particulars

here. Let's go and have a look around. Lower Farm is advertised as

a starter farm, ideal for someone new to farming. I guess I qualify

there. But what does a serious contender think? It's a nice little

shed for feeding cattle in the winter. How many would you get in

here? Probably feed 30 and a few on the other side. Why do you want to

run a County Farm? It's a stepping stone, the idea of these little

farms is to get you up and running into farming. Without the stepping

stone of county farms, getting your own farm can cost a fortune. Is it

possible to put a figure on how much this farm costs to rent, as

opposed to the value of the farm to buy privately? In round terms,

10,000 a year to rent this farm. To buy, current land values around

10,000 an acre. Three quarters of a million. Three quarters of a

million? Wow. Why county farms? provide an opportunity for people

wanting to join the farming ladder and we need more people in farming,

we are told. I think we do a service for the county of Devon and

I am heading across the border into Somerset where the Council takes a

very different view of its county farm estate.

Since I was about eight I used to go down to the farm. I am not from

a farming family. I used to go and watch and help and it really grew

from there. It's one of those jobs you have to want to do. And it's

what I always wanted to do. David's days here are numbered.

Somerset county council has decided to sell over half its county farms

and David's is on the list. How did you feel when you found out you

were losing the farm? Well, we were devastated because

we've put a hell of a lot into this. And I think it's a shortsighted

policy. Go on, out you go. If they are selling the farm, that's the

end of your livelihood as a farmer. That's right, when the land is gone

the house will be gone, everything. That will be it as a dairy farmer.

Yes. What's to stop you buying it? Nothing to stop us, only the price.

We have been offered it. How much? They want �1,000,085,000.

that's not an option for you. had �1,000,085,000, I wouldn't be a

tenant farmer! So, why is Somerset selling off so many of its farms?

I've come to Dillington House, where the councillor who instigated

the selloff is attending a budget meeting. The Council currently has

a debt of �354 million. The farmers in some ways were the first victims

of the financial crisis in Somerset because they were the first ones to

see their livelihood might be under threat because of the financial

pressures we are under. We cannot borrow any more money, we have to

sell assets. The majority of the assets we are selling currently are

the county farms and I have said before if we need to build a new

school, we need to raise money to do that, I need to sell something.

We are very lucky, we have the most beautiful county and working farms

make it tick. Selling assets is also part of Dorset county

council's approach but with a difference. Here at Yardsgrove Farm

near Sturminster Newton, as they've done across the county, the Council

is selling this large farmhouse but keeping the land. With the profit

from the sale, half goes into Council coffers and half goes into

a modern house for the farmer and improving the farms. If you are a

young couple starting out on a farm, you don't need a hulking great

farmhouse. What you need are good facilities, you need the best

facilities to give you the best opportunity of making your business

which is farming succeed. We have managed to contribute the better

part of 7 million into general capital projects and we've spent

about the same amount actually on our farm buildings. And improving

the facilities for our tenants. this is you actually investing in

the farms themselves? Oh, yes. Very I wonder what Dorset tenants think.

Having proved themselves on a small start-up farm, Louise and Luke and

family moved Provost Farm, near Shaftesbury, three years ago.

There's no manor-sized farmhouse but they do have some spanking new

sheds. This is an impressive new shed, did you build this? Half of

it was here and we put on the other half. The council have helped us

with the structural work, we put in a lot of labour. So, they haven't

matched pound for pound but they have invested a lot to get this

barn up and running to help us milk more cows, basically, is what it's

all about. People do generally think it's subsidised by the

council like a council house but it's a completely different estate.

These are businesses. We employ local people, tradesmen that have

built the barn are all from Dorset so it is a positive thing for the

area. Would you have been able to grow this farm if it hadn't been

for the opportunity of County Farms? No. No County Farms, no farm

To date, Somerset has sold 16 farms and made �12.2 million. Through

selling its old farmhouses, Dorset has raised �12.9 million and kept

its estate. Each make an annual profit of around half a million

from rent. I wonder why Somerset isn't following Dorset's approach?

It all makes sound business sense but the county councils, Somerset

county council, is not in the business of running farms. It is

not a core business. But it makes you money. It makes us some money.

I put the council's argument to farmer David Crabb. Surely selling

off this valuable land is quite a good idea, really? Do you buy that?

Why sell the only thing that makes you money? Once it's sold, it's

sold. They can't... They can only sell it once. And they will be

wanting money for something else then. Plus, if they sell off the

farm, they lose the rent as well. I Rutting deer are one of the great

autumn spectacles of the Southwest countryside so Mike put on his

gumboots to chew over the science of this annual event in an unusual

For the past five years naturalist David Dixon has been keeping a

close eye on this herd of fallow deer. Their breeding behaviour has

been somewhat of a mystery - most of it happens at night but David's

found ways to uncover the secrets of the fallow deer rut.

What I've done is using cameras which are able to see into the dark,

I've been able to follow the whole thing 24 seven for much longer

periods of time than would be physically possible to do just

And he's made some brand new discoveries about their behaviour.

So I've come to this herd's unlikely home to find out what. I

have seen fallow deer in multitudes of parks all over the country but

never in a location like this. Just over there is the Wrigley factory

and I can smell Hubba Bubba in the air! To my right, is the most

amazing herd of fallow deer. Do you Now Wrigley is a private site, not

normally open to the public. So I'm really lucky they've let me in to

have a look around. What we have got here, there is a mature buck

lying over their by the tree on the ground. He's got white ear flaps

and I have called him White Ear. He spent the last three weeks

essentially driving other males away and patrolling around the

females, checking to see which ones are fertile and if they are mating

So, he is exhausted. Exhausting work, I was about to say! He is

calling at the moment. He has the most enormous Adam's apple! He has,

that is one of the characteristics of this type of deer. He is

strutting his stuff, look at that! Yes. Such a handsome animal. He is,

he's quite a beauty. At the moment, he is doing this, the girls

meanwhile are quite happily feeding. He will keep patrolling around them

and at some stage will find one that is ready and then he will mate

Even though that mating behaviour is hard to see there are

tantalising signs of the rut all Aha, David to the uninitiated

there's a little shallow muddy hole but you know it's much more than

that, don't you? It's a lot lot more. In deer world this is where

it's all happening. This is a the classic rutting stand. What we've

got is a pit about 1.5 metres in diameter by about 20 centimetres

deep. You can see where the buck has scraped, recently you can see

the scrape mark. When you look at this dark staining, this is urine.

You can probably smell the scent. If you look above, you have these

damaged dead fronds on this conifer. They haven't been eaten, what the

buck has done is been rubbing his antlers but also he's got glands

just below the eyes and he's been anointing selected fronds with his

scent. All of this becomes a big scent signpost in the landscape.

It's noticeable as well, away from it we are looking at discrete piles

of droppings. That's right. What's going on? Well, if you notice what

I call an audience pattern. You can see there is a semicircle of

droppings here so the girls are going by doing their shopping.

thrashing away. And I am a female and I basically stand here and say,

he is looking rather nice. What you think? And while they are making a

decision whether to mate with you or not, they, being deer, drop some

droppings. There's so much to interpret here. It's incredible.

enormous amount. None of this has really been appreciated before.

It's all new stuff. To attract females the bucks rely on their

best asset and it's true what they say, size really does matter. David,

that is a fine set of antlers. certainly is. Handsome, aren't

they? They are gorgeous. You have this beautiful spread which is

distinctive for the fallow deer. You get these points called

spellers. Amazingly deer shed their antlers every year and regrow a new

- and larger set in just a few months. In fact antlers are the

fastest growing bone known to man, and as David's footage of the rut

at Wrigley shows, their tough too - they need to be. When they are

fighting, the combat is for territory because if you own the

territory, you get the females. White Ear, the dominant stag. He is

right at the top of his game. at the top of his game but he will

only remain so for two or three seasons and then he goes downhill

really fast. Meanwhile, the females can go on for 16 years. So, the

stress is the testosterone charged male. I'd love to see some of this

behaviour and with the night drawing in there's just enough time

for one last safari trip. Now, let's see. This is one of their

favoured fields. No, not there. So, onwards, onwards. I am starting to

appreciate just how hard David has had to work. They can be elusive

when they want to be. Keep your eyes peeled. But just as the lights

almost gone the herd comes into view. Right next to the factory

building - were even able to follow on foot, at a distance, without

disturbing them. Dusk is just around the corner, David. Suddenly,

it is like an activity switch has been flipped. It is. Just that.

Here is the male. Yes. The female, one of those, is in season. And

that's all it needed, plus the fall in light. He has left the main herd

behind. And he is following the girls around. He will get one

eventually. That call is so distinctive. Just really strange

sound. Here he is. What a beautiful It is wonderful when you get to see

proper behaviour just as the light was going. We saw some exciting

stuff. We did, those last few minutes as the light goes they

become completely animated. All the activity takes place at dark.

That's right. But today we have been really lucky, the weather has

been perfect, we have seen some action, a perfect finale for our

day. David's dedicated research has shown me just how interesting an

animal the fallow deer is. And it's great to know that, in this Wrigley