Our ELC-Funded Waldorf Provision Has Changed

February 25 2025

In our endeavour to be inclusive, we have collaborated with our local council for over forty years, opening our Kindergarten to families seeking a Waldorf education for their child aged 2* – 5.5** years old through a funded place.

Letter from our Head of School, Nick Brett addressing the changes To Edinburgh Steiner School’s partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) service provision.

Previous to the ELC offer, we had the ability to arrange and guide children’s days, times and frequency of attendance. In the present service offer we have partly lost that ability. For families to really benefit from a Steiner Waldorf kindergarten, continuity and consecutive day attendance has always been the preferred route.

The mix and match of settings and the flexibility that 1140 provides for families does not afford children the benefits that we offer.

I recently met with the City of Edinburgh Council in relation to the provision of ELC here at Edinburgh Steiner School to ensure that we meet the requirements of the National Standard for Early Learning and Childcare and the agreement we have with the City of Edinburgh Council.

In light of this meeting, we have decided that for any new entrants that we will be changing the way in which we model access to the funded entitlement for families. From this month we will offer the 1140 hours of ELC on a term time basis only – Monday to Friday, 8:45am – 3:15pm.

This will allow the School to deliver the Steiner Waldorf early years curriculum and maximise the use of the early years provision. For current families, you can choose to remain on your current model or change to the new model from next month. (Please note, this does not affect the Terrific Two funding.)

I would really like to extend our heartfelt thanks to you all for bearing with us through the changes we have had to go through over the last months. It is a generally held observation that Treetops has been completely successful. I just love watching the group growing and becoming more and more secure. I envy the new Class 1 teacher who will have a fully formed group, happy with each other and having bonded for their new adventure this coming August.

If you are interested in finding out more about the transition from Treetops to Class 1, please do come forward. I am always keen for feedback so please do not hesitate to be contact.

With best wishes

Nick Brett, Head of School

*A quarter of 2-year-olds in Scotland are eligible under the Terrific Twos programme. All 3 & 4-year-olds are eligible, if their parents are not restricted from receiving public funding.
**Deferred Children (see article: )