Characteristics of Steiner Waldorf Education

Below are some characteristics that can be found within Steiner Waldorf Education:-

• Steiner Waldorf schools work with an integrated balance of artistic, practical and intellectual content in the curriculum with an emphasis on social skills and spiritual values.
• All schools are co-educational, fully comprehensive and integrated from the age of 6/7 to, ideally, 18/19.
• They are run co-operatively by a College of Teachers using a flat- management system. All have a legal Council of Management and there is active parent participation in all areas of school life.
• All pupils share the broad, internationally recognised Waldorf curriculum, which is non-prescriptive and proven over 80 years. It is in accord with their developmental needs, without undue early specialisation or inappropriate academic pressure.
• Schools are extended learning environments for parents and teachers to work co-operatively in support of children’s education.
• Formative assessment is the preferred practice in the school.
• An early years approach that provides time and space for development of key skills is a basis for later literacy, numeracy, social and emotional competence.
• Block periods for core Steiner curriculum.
• Schools work with the ideal that such education should be accessible to all, regardless of ethnicity, creed or financial circumstances.
• Two modern languages taught from the age of 6.
• Whole class teaching in aesthetically pleasing and secure learning environment where qualities of childhood are nurtured and respected.
• An accompanying class teacher from school entry age for several years in succession.
• Children based in their own home classroom except for specialist areas.
• All-age schools with mixed ability classes according to the age of the child and not streamed by achievement.
• Science and technology taught throughout in age appropriate form.
• Key skills such as numeracy and literacy presented in an imaginative and creative manner.
• Enhanced mobility and international school exchanges because of common ethos and related core curriculum.
• Children being well grounded in their cultural environment and also conscious of being world citizens.