Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Every person's story is important
"A healthy social life is found
when in the mirror of each human soul,
the whole community finds its reflection,
and when in the whole community,
the virtue of each one is living." - Rudolf Steiner
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Ringwood Waldorf School embraces inclusive practices and holistic education underpinned by the pedagogical principles of Rudolf Steiner. We are a community-oriented school, and strive to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all students, families, and staff, where each child's unique journey is supported and celebrated. We strongly believe that by supporting diversity in our school, we prepare our students for a diverse modern world – a global community that sees itself reflected in each of our students and is all the more resilient because of them.
Child-Centred Education
Our curriculum aligns with child developmental stages, with stories and activities tailored for each class. Teachers actively engage with students, supporting them to embrace their strengths and maintain a love for learning. We work together to review and update our curriculum and resources to reflect the breadth of our community. Students complete self-chosen projects in classes 8 and 12, providing opportunities to share and develop their individual passions.
Respectful School Community
We aim to establish long-term connections with families, fostering a sense of belonging and commitment to the school. We promote respect for others and a shared sense of humanity. Time is dedicated to adult involvement, including individual meetings with parents and caregivers, Community Group, and events that allow families to experience our educational approach. We highly value parent input and actively seek feedback.
Cultural Diversity
We celebrate a range of community festivals such as the Holi festival of colour in spring, jumping over the fire on St. John’s day at midsummer, autumn lantern walks, and the winter Swedish Lucia celebration of light in the darkness. In kindergarten, children say thank you for their meal in all the different languages of their kindergarten class and our Whitsun assembly celebrates diversity of language in the whole school community. We encourage families to share aspects of their culture or religion, enriching school life and promoting inclusion.
Inclusive Policies and Administration
We value, respect, and promote inclusive practice to support children, teachers, and families in alignment with the Equality Act 2010. We value people of different abilities, gender, sexual orientation, belief, ethnicity, and culture. Ringwood Waldorf School does not discriminate in its employment policies, educational policies, admissions policies and other school policies. Our Diversity Lead and Diversity Trustee work to promote a culture of inclusion.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Group
An inclusive diversity group consisting of staff, parents and caregivers meets regularly to address issues, research resources, and bring new initiatives. The group is chaired by Diversity Lead and Deputy School Lead Syenna Lister.
The EDI Group provides updates through teachers’ meetings and the school newsletter, ensuring our whole community is involved. We strive for honest communication and authentic listening to support our collaborative work and inner self-reflection.
It is important for us to acknowledge the need for more discussion around questions such as representation and underrepresentation, working through implicit biases, being open to new perspectives, and widening the breadth of our curriculum.
We welcome all voices, so please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns, or if you feel motivated or inspired to join us in this ongoing work.
Equity: Equity means fair treatment for all people, taking into consideration each person’s unique circumstances.
Diversity: A diverse community is made up of people with differing identities, backgrounds and experiences that are reflective of the society we live in.
Inclusion: Inclusion means being proactive to make sure everyone is respected and fully able to participate within a community where individuals can be their full selves.
As a school and a community, we stand in solidarity with those seeking safety, dignity, freedom from oppression, and equality of Human Rights worldwide. As educators, we take our responsibility to provide opportunities to critically review our culture and its history very seriously. We believe there is a continuing need to examine our own values and prejudices, both individual and institutional. We are committed to continually reviewing our curriculum and practices at school to ensure they reflect an appreciation of diversity and actively encourage conversations about racism, social injustice and systematic oppression to improve our understanding and practice.
Ringwood Waldorf School fully endorses the following statement from Waldorf UK, which represents Steiner Waldorf schools in the UK and Ireland:
The SWSF is opposed to all forms of discrimination against any person or group of people on the grounds of race, gender, faith, disability, age and sexual orientation and is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and reflecting the diversity of the children, staff and parents served by Steiner / Waldorf schools. We also reject any racism stated or implied in any of Rudolf Steiner's speeches and writings (dating from the mid-1880s to his death in 1925).
These concepts do not inform our education in any way: they influence neither content nor methodology and sit in contrast with Steiner's humanist philosophy which was based on a profound respect for the individuality and shared humanity of all people which is central to our work.