Ofsted have published their inspection report into Gove’s Steiner Academy Exeter and it is about as damning as you can get.
“Leadership is dysfunctional at every level in the school.”
“Leaders have failed to ensure the safety and well-being of pupils.”
“Governors have failed in their duty of care towards both adults and pupils. ”
“Teaching is inadequate. Staff do not consider progress in mathematics, reading and writing to be fundamental to the educational wellbeing of pupils. ”
“Learning often lacks purpose, and pupils quickly lose interest and their behaviour deteriorates.”
“Teachers’ supervision and behaviour management of children is unsafe. Learning and progress is poor.”
The school was immediately closed by Ofsted but has now re-opened under external management control. What needs to be understood by all here is that these damning words are not a result of failures in the Steiner School – they are deliberately cultivated features. Steiner education is based on mystical, esoteric principles. It is a religious cult. Schools deny they are based on spiritual and religious principles. That is because their guru, Rudolf Steiner told them that his clairvoyant visions were *science’. The schools deny they teach ‘Anthoposophy’ – this is a misdirection.
Anthroposophical goals drive the methods and experiences in the school. Lax management, poor behavioural control, deliberate obstructions preventing children to read, shambolic curricula – these are features, not failures. The wool has been pulled over Ofsted eyes.
Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley was forced to close permanently this year after a similar series of damning Ofsted reports. RSSKL was considered to be the ‘flagship’ Steiner school in the UK and was known worldwide as a leading Waldorf school. All other Steiner Schools in the UK will undoubtedly display similar failings, both old private schools and the new Academies and Free Schools opened up under Gove.
They have got away with it for so long in part due to the government capitulating that some schools could be inspected away from Ofsted under their own ‘special nature’ inspection regime. Inspectors were often fellow cultists.
We do not have a clear idea of what went on in Exeter (or Kings Langley). Often teachers who should not be near any children are moved from school to school. Police checks on staff do not happen. A culture of secrecy, misdirection and silence exists (cf cults).
“Some staff have been appointed because they are known by the school and not because they have been thoroughly appraised to check that they have the necessary skills and experience.”
The Steiner World is a small world. The report tells us that there needs to be an “investigation into the serious incident from July”, and there needs to be a “reviewing all staff personnel records and completing suitability checks.”
The new external management from the Ted Wragg Trust need to get to grips quickly with what a Steiner School is. THEY WILL BE LIED TO. Rudolf Steiner himself made it clear that teachers should lie to external authorities about their aims and methods. The new management have a simple choice: if the school is to survive, it cannot ‘blend’ in Steiner education. It is all or nothing. Steiner control and influence has to be stripped out if these problems are to be solved. And Ofsted, if they have not already, need to recognise that these issues are systemic to Steiner education – to Anthroposophical schools. Again, these are not failures – they are features. All other Steiner Schools need urgent independent inspection.
It’s a pity this school has had such a bad report. My experience of Steiner education is very positive, and the children I have known have always been very well balanced, respectful and high achieving.
Yes, my findings exactly. Steiner was a fantastic academic, what are these quacks on about?
Hopefully Michael Hall will be throughly investigated one day.
Michael Hall School just inspected ( October 2018) – “Outstanding”
You should know that people do tend to check things around these parts. So, it might be worth pointing out two things: firstly, the school did not get an ‘outstanding’ result – it achieved ‘outstanding’ in only one point ‘Early Years provision’; secondly, the school was not inspected by Ofsted, but by SIS – the tame ‘special’ regulator for Steiner Schools.
It might also be worth declaring any conflicts of interests too, assuming you are the gardener at Forest Row?
Really by OFSTED or by that quackery SIS????
Michael Hall is repugnant!!!!
It allowed for open abuse of a child within the classroom setting, with a “teacher” present.
It is however “outstanding” in its ability to obfuscate challenges and administer vile anthroposophical punishment and practices within its wall. The sooner the demise the better.
Will you be writing to The Ted Wragg Trust about the true nature of Steiner Education?
I get your points in your blog, however the message you convey is somewhat diluted by repeating emotive words like ‘damning’ ‘cult’ etc. And facts: was RSSKL closed by OFSTED or forced to close? (actually they couldn’t continue to operate after their last OFSTED report because they could not get any insurance cover). Some quotes from Steiner himself to support your point would be really useful in order to engage Steiner /Waldorf supporters, who should of course be well read in his writings and who will of course respond.
The article is linked to other posts that fully discuss the cult-like nature of Steiner Schools.
I was getting worried. I’ve not seen much activity from the “usual suspects” such as Colquhoun, Singh et al.
Still, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without an Ernst mistletoe review for me to digest while hitting the port and mince pies.
Quack,
quack!
What is interesting here is the location. I got involved with this blog as a result of my own bad experiences in Exeter from 1980-83 (involving medicine,the local authority and public service). In each case, the offending body behaved in ways anyone else would know to be wholly wrong, but was unwilling or unable to accept it was doing so, regardless of the consequences. Now YET ANOTHER Exeter institution is being called to account. Does no one notice that the leaders of these institutions all know each other, support each other in public and employ each others’ staff?
Sue Peat trustee at Rudolph Steiner Kings Langley from 2006 to 2016, said teachers felt “threatened” and “intimidated” by Mr McCarthy and were scared to raise the alarm.
She was head of Anthropo Society!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/02/16/teachers-steiner-school-thought-appropriate-pupils-sit-teachers/
Exeter!
I was getting worried. I’ve not seen much activity from the “usual suspects” such as Colquhoun, Singh et al.
Still, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without an Ernst mistletoe review for me to digest while hitting the port and mince pies.
The Parental Network UK Ireland is well aware about abuses committed within this sectarian organization (according to french Parliamentary commissions’ investigations in 1995 “sects in France” and 1997 “sects and money ” also pointed out paedocriminal in 2006 “sects and children” as well as belgian Senate in 1997) cultic drift and numerous families complain about these self claimed “schools” which are indoctrinations’ camps according to Waldorf watch and critics around the World. Children are at danger with pseudoscientific dogmas and antivax theories of prenazi guru Steiner.
I agree with your analysis Andy. Especially with knowledge of the Steiner school in Tititrangi, Auckland, NZ where I grew up. Not that I went there of my parents would send any of us there but it was clear to me with contact with those who went there and escaped etc that they had not been well served by it.
There are lots of Alternative Lifestyle ‘hippies’ in Titirangi, it’s that sort of place so a Steiner school was no surprise.
I was able ot disuade a family friend from sending her child to one in Edinburgh. I doubt she would have been happy with it anyway.
That Steiner teachers think bullies are okay because of Karma of their former life. They cannot see by not challenging them even if they are correct they are perpetuating eternal cycles of violence and victimhood?