This flexible, practice-based Postgraduate Diploma in education equips qualified teachers —both mainstream and alternative—with the tools to transform their teaching through creative and Waldorf-informed approaches.
Designed for UK and international teachers with QTS or an international equivalent, this part-time continued professional development course is jointly delivered by Waldorf Learning Foundation and Bath Spa University. It explores Waldorf and contemporary creative pedagogies to bring renewed depth, creativity, and meaning to your classroom practice.
Duration: Part-time, practice-based study (Approx. 1-2 years)
Focus: Waldorf Education & Creative Pedagogies for professional development
Delivery: Blended learning, mostly online with two immersive retreats per year
Accreditation: Offered in partnership with Bath Spa University, become a fully qualified Waldorf Teacher or embed holistic practices within a mainstream curriculum
Downloads the full Course Overview PDF for more details.
In a world where educational expectations are shifting, there’s a growing need for a diverse and comprehensive approach to teaching.
The PGDip is tailored for educators looking to enrich their teaching practice and contribute meaningfully to the evolving landscape of education. Whether you’re working in a mainstream, alternative, or Waldorf setting, this course is open to all qualified teachers with QTS or an international equivalent.
If you’re ready to build on your professional expertise with fresh insight and renewed purpose, we invite you to explore whether this path is right for you.
This course is grounded in rich, research-led learning. As a student, you’ll engage with foundational ideas in education theory — including epistemology, posthumanism, ethics, and phenomenology — and explore how these intersect with your teaching.
You’ll encounter the work of leading thinkers such as:
Donna Haraway on relational ways of knowing
Paolo Freire on critical pedagogy
Anna Craft on creativity in education
Tim Ingold on wayfaring and learning in the natural world
Guided by expert tutors, you’ll critically explore Waldorf and contemporary pedagogies, synthesising theory with lived classroom experience. This academic depth complements the course’s practical components, supporting the development of both your mindset and methods.
This course is ideal for educators who are eager to weigh up educational ideologies, unpack philosophical ideas, and meaningfully integrate these insights into their evolving professional practice. It invites a rigorous, research-led approach to education that is as reflective as it is forward-thinking.
Throughout the course, participants explore and interrogate a diverse range of educational thought, drawing on the work of influential scholars including Donna Haraway, Johanna Kuyvenhoven, Liisa Karlsson, Tim Ingold, Paulo Freire, Anna Craft, and Michel Vandenbroeck. These thinkers help illuminate the intersections between philosophy, education, and creative practice—providing rich ground for inquiry and transformation.
The course’s online sessions take place on Tuesdays UK time 16:30 – 19:30.
There are two modules, with 8 online sessions per module.
Module 1 starts 22 September 2026
Module 2 starts 19 February 2027
The Landcraft Retreats, to which attendance is obligatory, will be held in Herefordshire, on the following two weekends.
5pm Friday 23 October – 5pm Sunday 25 October 2026
5pm Friday 05 March – 5pm Sunday 07 March 2027
When you graduate, you’ll be a fully qualified Waldorf Education professional with a unique set of skills for facilitating creativity in education and a Postgraduate Diploma from Bath Spa University.
You’ll have completed a Professional Practice Portfolio, demonstrating your expertise in the Waldorf Teaching Standards, further enhancing your employability.
The course is also designed for mainstream teachers to find new ways to embed holistic education practices within their curriculum.
This Postgraduate Diploma provides a robust understanding of Waldorf methods and creative pedagogical frameworks that can complement your current qualifications, all while remaining grounded in the academic rigour you’re familiar with. It’s a qualification that challenges and supports your growth as an educator.
Upon completion of the Postgraduate Diploma, you will have the opportunity to undertake an applied research module that will allow you to develop an area of specific interest and obtain a full Master’s qualification.
The course is fully accredited by Waldorf UK, according to national and international standards for Waldorf teachers.
It’s jointly delivered by Bath Spa University, one of the top UK universities for education courses, and Waldorf Learning Foundation, an education trust dedicated to creative and professional excellence in the sector.
While most of the course is delivered online through lectures, seminars, and tutorials, it also includes two in-person retreats—one in the autumn and one in the spring. These long weekend gatherings are a core part of the course and offer an opportunity to expand your perspective and refine your approach in a hands-on setting.
At the heart of this course is a commitment to real change in education—both in the UK and beyond. We believe a truly person-centred approach should be the norm, whether that’s in mainstream or alternative settings. The Landcraft Retreats offer a space to bring theory into lived experience, in a warm, supportive environment rooted in the values of Waldorf education.
Please note attendance at the two Landcraft Retreats are obligatory to the course.
This course gives me hope that dialogue will help remove the boundaries between education systems for the benefit of students and the freedom of choice for parents.
2022/23
PGDip Student
This course has reminded me that an alternative is possible, for a creative and harmonious education of head, hand and heart.
2022/23
PGDip Student
The course leaders’ strong mentorship, facilitates creative learning within a safe, warm and courageous environment.
2022/23
PGDip Student
The course fees for the September 2026 cohort are as follows:
UK Students – £4,700
International Students – £7,378
Join our diverse community of educators from around the globe who are passionate about developing a nurturing environment for students. Whatever your background, we invite you to explore how our course can enrich your practice and benefit your school. To take the first step towards an enriching conversation about your professional journey and the suitability of our course for you, please head to our ‘next steps’ page to start your journey.
Paul Hougham
Co-course Leader & Chief Executive
Waldorf Learning Foundation.
This course is open to all qualified teachers with QTS or an international equivalent.
Each academic module is coursework assessed. You’ll submit a written assignment together with a critically reflective Professional Practice Portfolio, which may include:
Modules are delivered as a mixture of online lectures, seminars and tutorials.
Sessions are led by the course leaders and visiting tutors who are specialists in Waldorf Education and creative pedagogies. Individual tutorial support is offered alongside valuable opportunities for extended discussion with tutors and colleagues. Self-directed artistic and/or creative practice will also be an important part of your learning and development. Completion of a Professional Practice Portfolio will offer opportunities for the development of critically reflexive practice.
This course is designed for those who have the equivalent to IELTS 6.5 overall to join the course. We have to be sure that your English is at a level for you to be able to prosper on the course. Applicants can build up a body of evidence to support their English language abilities, and an iGCSE in English could form part of that, together with professional experience working/teaching in English etc. But the easiest way, is for applicants to sit a recognised English language test. We can accept a wide range of English language qualifications as outlined here.
Need more information or have admissions specific questions? Contact Admissions at Bath Spa university:
Our postgraduate course has a limited number of student spaces. Once you have spoken with the course leaders and are ready to apply, we recommend that you apply quickly to avoid any potential disappointment.
The course is designed for and attracts teachers from EYs up to KS4, and from roles across class / subject teachers, leaders and SENDCOs / TAs.
Module 1 starts on Tuesday 22 September 2026
Module 2 on Tuesday 19 February 2027
Alternatively, if you’re already sure that the course is the right fit for you based on all of the information you’ve had so far, or you’ve already had a discussion with us, feel free to go ahead and apply now.
