Kindergarten Accepting Applications For 2023/24
May 10 2023
Edinburgh Steiner School is welcoming new applications to take up a place in one of our four Kindergartens, to begin in August of this year.
Where society is becoming increasingly digital, with more and more young children learning to swipe before they can walk; where pupils as young as four years old are embarking on their school career; and where childhood is heading indoors, Edinburgh Steiner School looks at education from a different standpoint to mainstream independent nurseries in Scotland. (View our short films)
Kindergarten, for children aged 3.5 – 6 years old, is an enabling environment where the rhythm of daily life is simple and unhurried without the notions of ‘achievement’,’ success’, or ‘failure’.
Our Early Years provision ranked ‘very good’ in its latest unannounced visit by the Care Inspectorate (Care Inspectorate report)
Offering an important alternative to mainstream Preschool – P2 education, our Playgroup and Kindergarten follow the internationally-recognised Steiner Waldorf model, which pays particular attention to the principles of imitation, play, and meeting every child at their stage of development. (Read more about the distinctive educational pedagogy, incorporating learning through creative doing and working with the will.
Early Years education has a high profile in Steiner-Waldorf schools where practitioners have always been accorded equal status within the profession (Learn more about our longstanding Waldorf Teachers)
About three quarters of the parent body at sister Steiner school Waldorf School of the Peninsula in the USA’s innovative tech hub Silicon Valley work in the sector in some way, including high-level techpreneurs at Amazon, Ebay, Yahoo and Apple. They, like parents at Edinburgh Steiner School, are choosing a screen-free, broad, education for their children. Find out why
This film from Silicon Valley explores the issues and dilemmas around children’s use of technology further: # Kids on Tech
Child-friendly architecture baths the open-plan spaces with natural light. Spacious undefined areas employ the imagination, develop creativity and encourage meaningful play. A kitchen in each of the rooms brings a homely feel to the holistic environment; whilst the child-friendly architecture is complimented by the natural play props – from silk veils, wooden kitchen, Waldorf dolls, cooking utensils and open-ended playthings.
Kindergarten Room
We believe in ensuring that children are provided Early Years childcare and education that fits their needs. Sometimes this requires flexibility when it comes to the appropriate starting age for main schooling and formal education. Find out more about initiatives that support these notions below:
Upstart Scotland and Give Them Time
Edinburgh Steiner School is an Official Supporter of Give Them Time. The School organised and hosted an interview by Trevor Mepham – Principle of the first state-funded Steiner school in the UK with Upstart founder, Sue Palmer. Play is the Way is available to watch on our ESS Talks platform.
Waldorf early years education is integrated into the Domestic Arts, where the children learn for life from life throughout life.