Rudolf Steiner or Waldorf education is an international movement, founded in the early 1900s, based on the philosophy and workings of Rudolf Steiner. Over 3,000 schools and kindergartens exist worldwide. New Zealand currently has 10 recognised schools and 24 kindergartens operating nationwide.

At the heart of the Steiner approach is nurturing the whole child, addressing the child as willing (hands), feeling (heart) and thinking (head), as well as spirit, soul and body. It aims to nourish the imagination and individuality of each child, fostering wonder and awe, awakening a love of learning and an interest in their world. Movement is also a major component of Steiner education, and is fully integrated into the child’s being through Eurythmy and a broad range of artistic, handwork and craft activities.

In Waldorf education, it is recognised that children pass through developmental stages at which times specific capacities develop. Pre-school children are supported within a home or kindergarten environment in which they can play, be surrounded by nature and beauty, learn through imitation and daily rhythm, and be in their innocence. It is not until about six or seven years old that a child’s capacity to begin their journey into formal learning awakens. Learning is then crafted to meet the needs of different ages and stages in light of the child and their unfolding needs. The mind is challenged with the full spectrum of traditional academic subjects, whilst at the same time nurturing the child through the arts, hands-on learning and emotional and social development through experiential and child-centred learning throughout the school years.

The aim of Steiner education is to prepare the child for all that life encompasses, and to do so by embracing the art of learning as naturally and intrinsically as possible, so as “… to strengthen the child to meet not only the challenges of school, but those of life”.

At Whangārei Steiner we focus on the child’s developmental needs at each stage as they grow. For young children this involves providing a daily routine or rhythm, hands-on experiences, imitation, plenty of free play, and creating a nurturing, homelike environment. For our older children, we work on engaging the whole human being through movement, thinking and the arts, and a focus on the feeling life sees us engaging the imagination to bring learning to life.