Rudolf Steiner School

Rudolf Steiner School Langley Hill, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire WD4 9HG

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 15  The school maintains an admissions register in line with current requirements. Pupils who have left the school during the academic year, and in previous years, are recorded as having done so, with details of their destination.  Due to the school’s imminent closure, all pupils and children are currently seeking alternative educational provision. Where a pupil’s destination has been confirmed, this has been entered on the admissions register. Such destinations include other Steiner schools, local primary and secondary schools, moving abroad or elective home education.  The majority of pupils have not yet confirmed their destinations, as the decision to close the school was only recently made known to parents. However, as soon as parents notify the school, a member of the administrative staff updates the admissions register with confirmed destinations accordingly and plans to continue

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Main inspection findings

doing so during the summer break.  The school registers pupils’ attendance twice daily on paper copies and this information is then transferred onto the school’s information management system. The attendance registers are maintained in good order. Pupils who feature in the admissions register match with those names in the attendance registers.  The school has a suitable safeguarding policy published on its website. Inspectors’ visit to the early years provision and scrutiny of relevant early years documentation shows that children are kept safe.  This standard is met.

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Main inspection findings

Statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage  As the school has an exemption from the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage, compliance was checked only against the safeguarding requirements.  Staff have suitable knowledge of signs and symptoms of possible abuse and neglect. They know how to report information to relevant agencies should they have a concern about a child or an adult. Staff have current knowledge about wider safeguarding issues, including the government’s Prevent Duty. Staff and safeguarding officers have managed recent safeguarding concerns in line with local procedures.  Senior leaders check and ensure that appropriately qualified staff work with children. Staff are all trained in paediatric first aid. This supports children’s welfare.  Staff undertake regular and thorough checks of the premises and resources to keep children safe and secure.

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Main inspection findings

 Children learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn how to pond-dip in shallow waters and climb trees carefully.  Children behave well and are respectful of their peers. For example, they wait patiently for their turn to wash their hands.  Documentation is organised suitably. For example, a recent complaint has been recorded accurately and leaders have followed the appropriate procedures. Staff maintain confidentiality.  Staff work well with other professionals to help meet children’s individual needs. They communicate well with parents to support continuity of care.  The safeguarding requirements of the early years foundation stage are met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 ('the independent school standards') and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school's suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 20

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School details

Proprietor Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley Association Chair John Leary-Joyce

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School details

Headteacher Stacey Hunter (interim principal)

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £5,577 to £9,857

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 10 May 2018

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Information about this school

 The school has recently stated its intention to the DfE to no longer appeal against the DfE’s regulatory actions to: – impose a relevant restriction to cease to admit any new students to the school (in the letter from the DfE dated 09/03/2017) – de-register the school (in the letter from the DfE dated 25/07/2017).  The school opened in 1949 and is registered with the DfE as a day school for a maximum of 419 boys and girls between the ages of three and 18 years. The school was originally registered to admit boarders. The school no longer offers boarding provision.  The school follows the philosophy and curriculum developed through the works of Rudolf Steiner.  Governance is provided through a board of trustees. Development of the curriculum is overseen by a staff college.  The school is led by an interim principal.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school has an exemption from the learning and development requirements of the

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Information about this school

The school’s inspection history:  In November 2006, Ofsted conducted a standard inspection of the school. At that time: – all of the independent school standards were met – the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA 2002) were not met.  In May 2009, Ofsted conducted a light touch standard inspection of the school and an inspection of the boarding provision. At that time: – inspectors judged that the school provided a satisfactory quality of education and the quality of boarding was judged satisfactory – one of the independent school standards was not met – one of the requirements of the early years foundation stage was not met – four of the national minimum standards for boarding schools were not met.  In March 2015, the School Inspection Service conducted a standard inspection of the school. At that time, not all of the independent school standards were met. Following the inspection, the school submitted an action plan, which was rejected by the DfE.

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Information about this school

 In March 2016, the School Inspection Service conducted an emergency inspection, following concerns about the school’s arrangements to safeguard pupils. At that time, not all of the independent school standards were met. Following the inspection, the school submitted an action plan, which was rejected by the DfE.  In June 2016, the School Inspection Service conducted a progress monitoring inspection. At that time: – inspectors judged that all of the independent school standards were met – a parental complaint followed the publication of the report and the DfE commissioned Ofsted to complete the progress monitoring inspection.  In November 2016, Ofsted conducted a progress monitoring inspection, unannounced. At that time: – six of the independent school standards were not met – the requirements of Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 were not met.  In December 2016, Ofsted conducted a standard inspection, unannounced. At that

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Information about this school

time: – the school’s overall effectiveness was judged inadequate – the school’s safeguarding arrangements were judged ineffective – 13 of the independent school standards were not met – the requirements of the statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage were not met.  In May 2017, Ofsted conducted the first progress monitoring inspection since the December 2016 standard inspection, unannounced. At that time: – six of the independent school standards were not met.  In November 2017, Ofsted conducted the second progress monitoring inspection since the December 2016 standard inspection, unannounced. At that time: – two of the independent school standards were not met.  In February 2018, Ofsted conducted the third progress monitoring inspection since the December 2016 standard inspection, unannounced. At that time: – three of the independent school standards were not met.

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Information about this school

 In May 2018, Ofsted conducted the fourth progress monitoring inspection since the December 2016 standard inspection, unannounced. At that time: – five of the independent school standards were not met.

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Information about this inspection

 This emergency inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The inspection was unannounced. The HMI was accompanied by an early years regulatory inspector. Inspectors were requested to check the school’s compliance with the standard contained in Part 3 (paragraph 15) of the independent school standards, and to conduct a compliance check of the safeguarding requirements of the early years foundation stage.  Inspectors held meetings with the interim principal, the head of early years, the chair and one other member of the trust, and the interim human resources manager.  Inspectors visited the early years provision (known as the Kindergarten) and observed children at work and play.  A range of documentation was reviewed including: the single central record of recruitment checks and personnel records, and the school’s admissions and attendance registers. HMI took copies of the admissions register to form part of the

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Information about this inspection

inspection evidence.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s website.  The view of the 174 parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, were also considered.

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Inspection team

John Daniell, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visitwww.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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