Our Distinctive Steiner Waldorf Early Years Curriculum

Edinburgh Steiner School was established in 1939 with just eight Kindergarten pupils. From its inception, the education is based upon the principles of the internationally recognised Steiner Waldorf curriculum, designed to enhance, enrich and support the developmental phases of childhood.

This progressive pedagogy considers Birth – 7 years old of vital importance to a child for the development of the healthy adult. Following the international Steiner Waldorf model, what makes the Steiner Waldorf approach to early childhood education distinctive is the particular attention given by the teachers to the ensuing principles:

Today, we welcome up to 80 children aged 2 – 6 years old. The significance of these first seven years is now widely acknowledged. Play is also recognised as being the true work of childhood. However, not all children in Scotland are given the opportunity of a Kindergarten play-based, relationship-centred environment for these formative years.

Offering an important alternative to mainstream Preschool – P2 education, our teachers are committed to creating an ecosystem that supports imaginative play. This approach is rooted in a deep respect for meeting each child at his/her own stage of social, emotional, physical and intellectual development.