“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea”
Antoine de Saint Exupéry (29 June 1900—31 July 1944), French writer and aviator best known for his novella The Little Prince
Our school is on a journey. A journey which we hope will result in a new Steiner School for London for children aged 31/2 – 18 years, with additional provision for pre-school toddler groups. Currently we are searching for a new site on which to continue to educate children from early years through to 14 years old, a site on which we can grow and develop to the stage where we can consider a separate Upper School site. This would be an asset to London. Unlike other great world cities such as New York and Moscow, the UK Capital currently has no full Waldorf education provision (although in Greater London there is a Waldorf School at each point of the compass – we are the most southerly).
By the end of July 2010 the Waldorf School of South West London will no longer sit on the beautiful field at Woodfields. Sadly the London Borough of Wandsworth has refused to extend our lease.
Over the last few years individuals from our parent and teacher bodies have investigated countless South London sites in the search for a suitable place to accommodate two or three kindergartens and Classes One to Eight (keeping our plans for older children in mind too).
Whilst this process has unrolled, our parent and teacher groups have drawn closer and closer together creating a community in which the vast majority wish to continue to take part. If you want to see testament to this strong and living educational community, look around this community site – each family and teacher at the school has faced the doubts caused by our site insecurity and faced them down, continuing to participate.
Our journey is not over yet. Positive negotiations on permanent suitable sites are currently underway and The Waldorf School of South West London already has temporary premises arranged. The school will open its doors to children as usual for Autumn Term 2010.
How you can help
If you have access to a quiet field or building somewhere in the South London area requiring long-term stewardship, or any other way of helping, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Help is now needed in early September to set up in our new location. All school families are taking part in this effort.
Alternatively you may wish to join us on our journey by getting in touch with an offer to donate your professional time to help us realise our vision, or perhaps by donating to the school financially (Please find how how you can help by clicking here).
So, if you’re wondering about whether or not a Steiner Waldorf education is everything you think it is, or what it is or how it is, here’s what our pupils, teachers and parents think…