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Ministers urged to order fresh inspections of all Steiner schools amid fresh child safety fears
Posted on: 2018-10-20 21:00:00
The Steiner Academy Exeter was warned by the government this week that it could have its funding cut off, after Ofsted discovered severe safeguarding and governance lapses.
Following the inspection, the regional schools commissioner took the unusual step of instructing it to close immediately while the issues were addressed, so it can ensure a "safe environment" for its pupils. It re-opened a week later.
Favoured by bohemian, middle-class parents, Steiner schools base their curriculum on the spiritual philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, called anthroposophy, which emphasises child creativity and the importance of rearing free spirited individuals.
But there are fears that the safeguarding failures unmasked at two Steiner schools raise questions about the movement as a whole.
The majority of fee-paying Steiner schools in England are inspected by the School Inspection Service (SIS), an independent organisation whose inspectors are trained in the Steiner ethos.
There is mounting concern about the suitability of the SIS to inspect Steiner schools and hold them to account on their shortcomings, The Sunday Telegraph understands.
RSSKL used to be inspected by the SIS but as safeguarding fears mounted, ministers ordered Ofsted to take over. Ofsted can only inspect private Steiner schools when commissioned by the DfE to do so.
"It is clearly the case that RSSKL were getting away with inadequate safeguarding under the SIS,” a source close to the Steiner movement said.
“It may be that other Steiner Schools have failing safeguarding cultures that the SIS have also not identified. Ofsted should definitely step in to make sure that children are safe in all Steiner Schools."
The former head of Ofsted, Mike Tomlinson, said: “There is a potential pattern emerging and a potential risk to children. If I was chief inspector I would be urging the Department to give me a brief to inspect them all, not necessarily for everything but particularly for safeguarding.
“If they don’t, and something happens in the Steiner school, clearly there will be some serious questions to be answered by the Department and its ministers.”