Blog - What can Waldorf Education teach us?
.png)
Read this blog from Fran Russell, Executive Director of Waldorf UK, written for the Edge Foundation.
A new blog published by the Edge Foundation explores how Waldorf education offers powerful insight into some of the biggest challenges facing schools today — from rising absenteeism and worsening mental wellbeing to the pressures on children with additional needs. It argues that education must go beyond imparting subject knowledge alone and instead nurture creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and adaptability — strengths that equip young people for life in an ever-changing world.
The article highlights how core Waldorf practices such as experiential learning, interdisciplinary work, play and creativity help pupils develop deeply and meaningfully:
“Experiential learning… helps learners work together, test ideas, make mistakes, try again, and reflect on their discoveries.”
“Learning through play is foundational to healthy development… children… practise social skills, experiment with new ideas and develop physical and emotional confidence.”
Waldorf education doesn’t treat creativity as an optional “extra.” Rather, arts, music, handwork and expressive movement are woven through daily learning — helping children learn both to define problems and solve them, a distinction that matters in a world where technology excels at routine tasks.
This approach, the blog suggests, offers valuable lessons for all schools — showing how a richer, more human-centred education can strengthen engagement, build wellbeing and prepare children for the future.