1. A Child Centered Education
At the heart of Waldorf Education lies the idea that the teacher’s task is not to mould the child into an image of him/herself or society but rather to create an environment in which the child’s individuality can unfold to reveal who they really are and who they wish to become. In this way Waldorf Education strives to be truly child centred.
2. Become Part of a Community
Waldorf Schools strive to be communities in which the strengths of each member can come to life and in which in turn each member can reflect the whole community so that a healthy social life can arise to support the growing child
3. Childhood is not a race
The healthy development of the child is at the heart of Waldorf Pedagogy. This is why, like in many other European countries, formal teaching at Elmfield only begins around the age of six when the children have had the opportunity to develop the necessary verbal and social skills in kindergarten. In our experience, by age 11 the numeracy, literacy and language skills of our pupils have caught up and indeed are often advanced compared with those of children in mainstream education.
4. A Curriculum to Inspire
The Waldorf curriculum strives to inspire in the growing child a curiosity about the world, creativity and a love of learning. It is taught at Elmfield using our beautiful grounds, music, movement and art. As well as standard subjects, such as English, Maths and Sciences, our curriculum also includes Foreign Languages, Dance, Singing, Crafts and Painting. All classes at Elmfield produce plays and performances each year and every child plays a musical instrument. Stream of Sound, one of the leading youth choirs in the West Midlands, is also based at Elmfield.
5. Getting to Know the Children
We aspire to have class teachers who accompany a group of children from age six to fourteen. In the earlier years they are teaching most of the lessons. This, facilitated by Elmfield’s comparatively small class sizes, allows the class teacher to build up a unique insight into and understanding of each child’s unique biography, talents and areas in need of support and enables him/her to plan lessons with these particular children in mind. As the children move through the school, more teachers, including subject specialists, become involved. In the Upper School (classes 9-11) the pupils are supported by a Class Guardian and taught by subject specialists.
6. Assessment and GCSE Exams
The children’s progress is closely monitored in Waldorf Schools but formal testing, with its tendency to cause undue stress and risk of undermining both, the child’s love of learning and self-esteem, is kept to a minimum; children at Elmfield do not sit Standard Assessment Tests (SATs). A range of GCSEs are taught over two years in the Upper School alongside a broad Waldorf curriculum. Elmfield’s GCSE results are regularly above the national average Click here to see our latest results
7. Giving Pupils a Positive Experience of School
Pupils may join Elmfield from other schools at all ages and we pride ourselves on often changing their experience of what school can be like. Elmfield is a school where pupils can feel relaxed and accepted for who they are. They may even discover that school can be fun.
Whilst we take our task as educators very seriously and want all our pupils to achieve their true potential, we also want to ignite in them a love of learning that stays with them for their whole lives.
8. Working in a Health Giving Environment
Elmfield has its own beautiful grounds with a variety of natural habitats. Playing among trees and bushes or on a big lawn during breaktimes is truly refreshing for soul and body. The grounds are often used for field studies as well.
9. Beautiful Classrooms and Corridors Add to the Wellbeing of all who Work or Study at Elmfield
The children feel relaxed, comfortable and safe in their school.
10. Solid Foundations
It is our experience at Elmfield that our pupils, having had a rich, broad curriculum and having acquired confidence, maturity, social skills and intellect to take on new challenges, flourish in whatever their next step in life is, be that further education or the world of work. We have striven to help each one of them to begin their journey of self discovery so that they can walk the road ahead with courage, integrity and a sense for truth.
Every Day is an Open Day at Elmfield
“When approached by the news media and asked the question, ‘What did Waldorf education do for you?’ I replied, it encouraged me to always strive to become a better human being.”