Early Years Department

Early Years education has a high profile in Steiner-Waldorf schools where practitioners have always been accorded equal status within the profession.

Alistair Pugh

Early Years Manager

Alistair Pugh is the Education Manager for the whole school, including Seedlings and Kindergarten.

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Charlotte Willson

Early Year Pupil Support / Child Protection Coordinator

Charlotte Willson, brings over ten years of experience to this role, joining first as Parent & Child Leader in 2006, before starting in Kindergarten, where she worked first as an Assistant and then a Teacher, for twelve years. Her own children, now graduates, attended the School. For the last six years, Charlotte is part of the School’s Pupil Wellbeing Department as the Early Years Pupil Support Coordinator and Early Years Child Protection Officer.

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The work of teachers in a Steiner Waldorf Kindergarten is inspired by the wisdom and contemporary relevance of Rudolf Steiner’s educational philosophy and prepares children for the changing modern world. It is grounded in a specialist 3-year Steiner Waldorf Early Years Training Course. All those in the Early Years sector must have an accredited ‘full and relevant’ qualification recognised by SSSC or Education Scotland. Our experienced Early Years Practitioners hold both qualifications.

Laura Macrae

Baby Group Leader

Yifat Leibner

Toddlers Leader

Continuing professional development for teachers is offered within the School by the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship (SWSF) – the membership organisation for all the Steiner schools and independent Steiner Early Years settings in the UK and Ireland – through attendance at conferences and courses on child development, as well at workshops for other subjects including first aid, health & safety, food hygiene, equal opportunities, child protection and additional needs.

Ruta Maciuleviciene

Acorn Seedlings Assistant

Lorna Marshall

Appleseed Seedlings Leader

Ellie Canepa-Anson

Appleseed Seedlings Assistant

Dawn Szwagrzyk

Sparrow Kindergarten Teacher

Rho McGuire

Sparrow Kindergarten Assistant

Tess McNatt

Robin Kindergarten Teacher

MariPaz Escobar

Robin Kindergarten Assistant

Hannah Zajaczkowska

Blackbird Kindergarten Teacher

Julie Demet

Blackbird Kindergarten Assistant

Aki Ippolito

Greenfinch Kindergarten Teacher

Abigail Crossley

Greenfinch Kindergarten Assistant

Each of our four Kindergarten leaders have a well-established professional and personal connection with the School. Our Kindergarten Leaders collectively bring over 40 years of service at Edinburgh Steiner School to their roles. Each have chosen a Steiner education for their own children.

The Seedlings and Kindergarten day runs from 8.40am until 1pm or 3.15pm. Wraparound is offered until 5.30pm.