Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism
Diversity and Inclusion
At Bristol Waldorf School we strive to be inclusive, non-discriminatory and celebrate difference. We promote social justice, human rights and equity, guiding children to be open-minded and appreciate the different qualities and strengths of their classmates and staff while supporting each other in their areas of challenge. Our goal is to create a learning community where children can grow to be entirely and authentically themselves, encountering and embracing others in the same way.
We ensure that all children, their families, staff and the wider community are treated with respect, appropriately represented and validated. We strive to represent and celebrate different family structures, genders, racial and cultural heritages, belief systems, abilities and impairments within our curriculum, festivals, and learning resources.
We are committed to preparing our students to flourish in a changing world by incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) content in an age and developmentally appropriate manner, including PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) and the broader curriculum.
Anti-Racism Statement
Injustice and discrimination have been faced by people of colour in the UK and globally over multiple generations. We recognise the immense damage this has done and the ongoing impact of such discrimination. As a school, we are engaged in a continual process of inquiry, self-education and self-reflection to address these issues.
Being Anti-Racist
Recognising that racism permeates society, we are committed to being an anti-racist organisation. This means taking conscious steps to identify, address and oppose racism and racist activity, whether conscious or unconscious. We actively work to promote equality and diversity in all aspects of our school operations and curriculum.
Rudolf Steiner’s Legacy
Rudolf Steiner’s educational philosophy informs the core of Waldorf education. However his work in the early 1900s contains statements that characterise race in discriminatory ways - we reject these concepts and they do not influence our education. Instead, we base our teachings on Steiner's profound respect for individuality and shared humanity.
Our Responsibility to Bring Change
We acknowledge the lack of racial diversity within our organisation and are actively working to change this. We support and develop initiatives that promote equality and diversity in all aspects of school life. This includes encouraging students to engage with and understand racism, and learning how to build an inclusive society as part of their education.
We welcome feedback and suggestions to improve our efforts and recognise that creating a truly inclusive environment is an ongoing process.
You can find more information at Waldorf UK.