London Steiner School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 3, 3(a), 3(c), 3(d), 3(g)  At the time of the previous inspection, leaders did not have suitable written plans for the curriculum. Members of the college of teaching and the faculty were not able to articulate how the curriculum built on what pupils knew. It was not clear how assessments informed teachers’ planning and next steps.  This inspection found that leaders have made significant improvements to how they articulate written plans across the curriculum. The curriculum coordinator has worked closely with teachers to develop well-structured schemes of work. These are well understood by leaders. Subject plans are appropriately sequenced. For example, in history, pupils in Years 3 to 6 develop their knowledge and understanding of ancient civilisations in Britain and the wider world. In Years 7 to 9, pupils build on their historical

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Main inspection findings

understanding of the medieval period and beyond. Pupils learn about major events in history, including the American and French revolutions. During the inspection, Year 9 pupils learned remotely about the industrial revolution in Britain.  Leaders have reflected on the school’s assessment procedures. As a result, they have introduced a new system to assess pupils’ work. Assessment procedures are now closely linked to the school’s schemes of work. Teachers have begun to use assessments to inform their next steps when planning.  These independent school standards are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  During the previous inspection, leaders had not been able to articulate their curriculum plans in a coherent way.  This inspection found that leaders have prioritised the building of their curriculum plans. Teachers have worked closely with the curriculum coordinator to identify key knowledge across all subjects. This information has been shared and discussed with the school management group and trustees. The school’s assessment procedures are now well understood.  The school continues to have strong safeguarding procedures in place. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. Leaders understand their roles and responsibilities and keep up to date with the latest statutory requirements.  However, leaders have not ensured that the school has met all the independent school standards at the last three inspections. During the school’s previous standard inspection

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Main inspection findings

in November 2018, the school was judged to be inadequate with many unmet independent school standards. The school did not meet all the independent school standards during the most recent progress monitoring inspections in July 2019 and in January 2020. Consequently, leaders do not demonstrate that they consistently meet all the independent school standards over time. Therefore, the standards relating to the quality of leadership and management of schools remain unmet.  The independent school standards in this part remain unmet.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet 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, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous 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

Proprietor The Waldorf School of South West London Ltd Chair Phillip Martyn

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £4,320 to £9,400

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School details

Email address office@londonsteinerschool.org

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 27–29 November 2018

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Information about this school

 London Steiner School provides Steiner-based education for boys and girls aged three to 14. The school is located in a residential area of Balham, London SW12. The school has an exemption from the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage.  The kindergarten provides early years education for children in the Nursery and Reception Year. Year 1 pupils are also taught in the kindergarten. Pupils enter the lower school in Year 2 (class 1) and leave upon completion of Year 9 (class 8).  The school has no headteacher. The college of teachers provides oversight of pupils’ learning. The work of the college is overseen by the trustees.  The school’s most recent inspection was a progress monitoring inspection in January 2020, where some independent school standards continued to be unmet. A progress monitoring inspection in July 2019 also judged that some independent school standards

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Information about this school

were unmet.  The school’s previous full standard inspection was in November 2018, when its overall effectiveness was judged to be inadequate. Many independent school standards were judged to be unmet.  The school uses no alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The inspection was carried out without notice.  This is the third monitoring inspection since the school was judged to be inadequate in November 2018. Inspectors were asked to focus on whether the school complied with particular requirements within Parts 1 and 8 of the independent school standards.  The first monitoring inspection took place in July 2019. The school’s second monitoring inspection took place in January 2020. The school was judged to not comply with all of the independent school standards during both monitoring inspections.  Following the standard inspection in November 2018, the Department for Education

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Information about this inspection

(DfE) required the school to prepare an action plan to outline how leaders plan to meet the unmet standards. The action plan was evaluated by Ofsted in March 2019, and was judged to be not acceptable. Following the monitoring inspection in July 2019, the DfE required the school to prepare another action plan. The DfE rejected this action plan.  Inspectors held meetings with members of the faculty and college of teachers. Inspectors checked the single central register relating to staff recruitment checks.  Inspectors reviewed curriculum plans and met with pupils. Inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books. They also looked at pupils’ work in Years 7 to 9 uploaded remotely.  Inspectors held discussions with leaders, including a trustee from the proprietor body, the curriculum coordinator and a senior leader responsible for safeguarding and health and safety. Inspectors also met with members of staff, which included telephone and

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Information about this inspection

remote conversations. Inspectors met with pupils to gather their views about safety and their learning.

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Inspection team

Noeman Anwar, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain unmet at this inspection

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub- paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work– – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school– – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; and – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress; 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 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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