The head of Ofsted has issued a warning over Steiner schools after more than three quarters failed their inspection.
Amanda Spielman revealed that of the 26 Steiner schools that have been inspected by Ofsted over the past year, 13 were branded “inadequate” and seven were rated as “requires improvement”.
In a letter to the Education Secretary, Ms. Spielman said: “The performance of Steiner schools overall remains poor, and there are areas of weakness that need to be addressed.
“Most worryingly, inspectors found that a significant minority of the schools had ineffective safeguarding practices, and I continue to be concerned about the provision for pupils with SEND [special education needs and disabilities] about quality of education more generally and about leadership.”
All but four of the Steiner schools in England are private, meaning they must adhere to independent school standards. But Ms. Spielman revealed that 15 of the 22 fee-paying schools failed to meet these standards.
Favored by liberally-minded middle-class parents, Steiner schools base their curriculum on the spiritual philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, called anthroposophy, which emphasize child creativity and the importance of rearing free spirited individuals.
He demanded that Steiner schools – both private and state funded – are subjected to “additional scrutiny” by Ofsted.
The move followed a long-running Telegraph investigation into fears about child safety at the schools, as well as revelations that their official staff handbook suggests that teachers should visit children in their homes and reward them with chocolate.
Two private Steiner schools have closed down in the past year, while three of the four Steiner state-funded academies are in the process of being taken over by multi-academy trusts.
Ms. Spielman added that inspectors did find some “encouraging signs of good practice and change” in some schools.
A spokesman for the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship, the umbrella organization which runs Steiner schools in the UK and Ireland, said it welcomes the “informed feedback” from Ofsted.
“Amanda Spielman’s letter highlights several of the steps that SWSF is taking to guide school improvement and we ‘share a common purpose’ to ensure all our children are well-educated and safe,” they added.
“There is no compromise where the education or safeguarding of pupils is concerned. As a Fellowship, we are committed to providing high-quality teaching built on the internationally valued principles of Waldorf education and we continue to work closely with our schools and Ofsted to achieve this goal.
“Steiner schools have responded well to Ofsted’s new inspection framework and remain popular with parents. Our approach to the curriculum provides an unhurried approach to education, enabling children to learn effectively without added pressure. ”
