By Ashley Young-
Ofsted’s boss , Amanda Spieldman has called for the Department Of Education to close down all inadequate Steiner schools that “fail to improve rapidly”. Spieldman has also called for Ofsted to be commissioned by Ofsted as the inspectorate for the independent Steiner schools.
Steiner schools are schools that base their curriculum on Rudolf Steiner’s philosophical approach to education, called anthroposophy. They focus on child creativity and developing free-minded individuals.
Anthroposophy is a modern spiritual path that cherishes and respects the freedom of each individual. It recognises however, that real freedom is actually an inner capacity that can only be obtained by degrees according to the spiritual development of the individual. This philosophy has failed to enhance the level of education in Steiner schools to the desired level, leading to regression rather than the progression expected in all highly aspiring academic schools.
It follows a woeful inspection by a handful of private Steiner schools, normally inspected by the School Inspection Service (SIS), after other inspections of Steiner schools raised alarm over safeguarding standards. Inspectors discovered a level of misappropriate physical handling of pupils and a failure to refer pupils at risk of harm to local authority services.In some cases Ofsted found governors and leaders “created a culture in which it is difficult for parents to raise their concerns”. In many cases, parents felt “ostracised and intimidated” by the governors and leaders.
In addition to the provision for special educational needs pupils found to be often poor, Steiner schools failed to demonstrate high academic standards across the board. Pupils who are academically strong in Steiner schools do not make up a high percentage, and the curriculum is not challenging or inspiring enough to meet the necessary standards the Department Of Education is trying to establish in British schools. Steiner schools have been letting down spirit of educational progress the British government have worked hard to build. the Spielman found that the “fundamentals” of good governance, clear lines of responsibility and effective safeguarding must be in place. She concluded that Steiner Academy Hereford had a quality of education that did not fall short of standards expected.
Inadequate schools that fail to meet required standards after all efforts and direction has been placed on them must go, otherwise they will betray the positive efforts being invested in schools.