What Age Groups and Programs Does Washington Waldorf School Offer?

Washington Waldorf School serves children from infancy through grade 12, with distinct programs for each stage: parent-child classes for infants to age 3, early education for age 2 through kindergarten, lower school for grades 1–5, middle school for grades 6–8, and high school for grades 9–12. The school also runs summer camps. If you are looking for a single entry point for a child of a specific age, the sections below map each program to its age or grade range.

Program and age range at a glance

What each program covers

Parent-child classes (infant – age 3)

A program for the youngest children and their caregivers, described by the school as "Infant – Age 3 Parent-child classes." This is the earliest entry point into the school community.

Early education (age 2 – kindergarten)

The school labels this stage "Age 2 PreK – Kindergarten Early Education." It covers the preschool and kindergarten years and is described as play-based early education.

Lower school (grades 1–5)

The lower school spans the first five elementary grades. The school describes its overall approach as incorporating academic, artistic, and practical elements into every subject.

Middle school (grades 6–8)

Grades 6 through 8 form the middle school, continuing the same arts-integrated curriculum model.

High school (grades 9–12)

The high school covers grades 9 through 12 and is listed among the school's ranked programs.

Summer camps

Summer camps are offered in addition to the year-round grade programs, useful if you are looking for a shorter-term or seasonal option.

Context that may affect your choice

• Class size and ratio: The school reports a 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio and describes itself as having small classes.
• Student body: Students come from 62 different zip codes, so families are not drawn from a single neighborhood.
• Curriculum style: Waldorf education here integrates arts, music, drama, and woodwork alongside core academics. The school frames its goal as developing students academically, emotionally, and physically.
• History: Founded in 1969, the school has operated for more than 50 years as a non-profit within the international Waldorf education movement.
• Campus: The school reports twelve-plus acres of campus and dedicated parkland.

How to decide where to start

1. Identify your child's current age or grade.
2. Match it to the table above to find the corresponding program.
3. If your child is between stages (for example, turning 2 or entering kindergarten), check both the early education and parent-child descriptions, since the early education range begins at age 2.
4. If you want a trial or seasonal experience before committing, look at the summer camps as a lower-commitment introduction.

The school's own site presents each program with a "More Information" link, so the most current details on schedules, availability, and application steps come from those individual program pages rather than from this overview.