The first Waldorf school was founded in 1919, driven by a vision for peace and a belief in education’s power to transform both individuals and society for the greater good.
Our
Mission
Exceptional education for the common good.
Our
Vision
We aspire to serve as a beacon for the best contemporary Waldorf Education available in North America.
Our Core
Values
Take Time for Wonder
We foster a sense of wonder that inspires growth, curiosity, collaboration, and innovation— nurturing lifelong learners who explore the world with open minds, open hands, and open hearts.
Uncover Your Purpose
We discover each child’s individual purpose, strengthening their inherent capacities to lead lives of courage and integrity on the path to becoming happy, ethical adults.
Expression is Key
We celebrate creativity and beauty, training each student to express themselves authentically through fine arts, performance, and traditional craft.
The Feeling You Get from Being Here
We build a community where everyone belongs, embracing diversity, inclusion, and stewardship of our shared environment, responsibilities, and experiences.
We’re a creative, friendly, diverse place with a reputation for success.
The Waldorf School of Philadelphia is proud of our reputation as a vibrant learning community where education is based on a deep understanding of the developing child. Our interdisciplinary approach develops our students’ ability to think critically and to make a difference, as leaders with a strong moral compass.
We apply the innovative educational philosophy and curriculum developed by Rudolf Steiner in a contemporary context, and offer a comprehensive liberal arts education. We uphold a standard of excellence and integrity in academics, arts, and human relationships.
Our school honors and values each child and family and actively celebrates and works to deepen diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in our community, through self-study, collaborative work, and a robust tuition assistance program. We strive to deepen our understanding of each other and the world through the lenses of heritage, identity, and social justice.
The Waldorf School of Philadelphia is a full member of AWSNA, the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America, and WECAN, the Waldorf Association of Early Childhood in North America. Learn about the seven principles of AWSNA here.
We are also accredited by the Middle States Association and a member of ADVIS, the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools.
“My child returns home happy, sharing her new songs and new experiences. She wakes up ready to return, looking forward to what the day may bring. She enjoys learning.”
—Anyta Thomas, Lower School Parent
Our Mission
The Waldorf School of Philadelphia is a vibrant learning community where education, based on a deep understanding of the developing child, integrates the intellectual with the artistic, the practical with the beautiful, fostering the ability to engage fully in the world.
We achieve our mission by:
Applying the innovative educational philosophy and curriculum of Rudolf Steiner in a contemporary context
Upholding a standard of excellence and integrity in academics, arts, and human relationships
Honoring and valuing each child and their unique gifts
Cultivating dynamic working relationships with and among the faculty, the board, the administration, and the community of families
Striving for cultural diversity within an urban setting, with a commitment to the importance of nature and its stewardship
Mind, body, and spirit
One hundred years after its founding, Waldorf education remains one of the most innovative methods of schooling. Why? Because, while the world has changed, children’s essential needs have not.
Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf pedagogy, created an educational philosophy based on a theory of three phases of child development from birth to age 21. He believed that children must have their mind, body, and spirit engaged uniquely and in age-appropriate ways throughout their young lives in order to reach their full potential.
Our interdisciplinary curriculum pairs math with handwork and art, science with music and story, language arts with theater and history (to name a few examples), which gives children the opportunity to learn through a wide variety of experiences to increase depth of understanding and intersect with individual learning styles.
Waldorf educators hold a deep respect for each individual student and are dedicated to fostering each child’s unique gifts while inspiring a lifelong love of learning. Our graduates leave with remarkable critical thinking skills that allow them to face challenges creatively and contribute to the world in a meaningful way.