Poor Ofsted for Steiner school
From Alan Murphy
Wednesday, 13 September 2017
I was disappointed to learn that the local Calder Valley Steiner school in Cragg Vale received 'Inadequate' marks in...
- the quality of education
- the pupils personal development,
- the leadership, management and governance,
but most worryingly in the 'safeguarding pupils welfare, health and safety judgement section', whilst also receiving an 'Requires Improvement' in its effectiveness of early years provision.
This, I would imagine would be of serious interest to parents locally - a school underperforming in this way should be ringing alarm bells. However I was only made aware of this after looking for a suitable school for my own child.
Media attention following less than stellar inspections for Riverside and Calder High in recent years were easy to find. However, this seems to have been missed. Yes, I'm fully aware that any prospective school or academy should be judged by more than just its OFSTED scores. However, when the results of an inspection are this poor then surely notice must be taken.
There must be woeful inadequacies within the school and can only hope that as a result of this revealing report that steps are being taken to seriously improve upon the provision of the little ones. These are children after all and not just data on a spreadsheet. I'm fully aware that so called 'alternative education' needs to be judged differently than mainstream education, though, having read the report, I'm positive that allowances have been made and despite this failings have been found throughout.
My elder child attended a Montessori school (not in the Valley) that received excellent reports as standard. I'd be interested in hearing from any parents who send their kids to this school with their thoughts and feelings on this. It's too late for me as my young son and I chose another school locally that was a better fit.
From Andrew D
Sunday, 1 October 2017
A poor Ofsted report is only one of many reasons not to send your kids to a Steiner school. Though the parents & teachers are almost always a really nice bunch and they create an emotionally warm and pleasant environment they are essentially an educational front for a religious cult.
The education curriculum and school ethos reflects this, although it is not often apparent from the way the school presents itself. Beliefs about reincarnation, creationism, anti-vaccination, the literal existence of gnomes & angels and inherent differences in likely educational achievement based on racial type are just the start of it to be honest.
From Tom D
Tuesday, 3 October 2017
In response to the two previous threads. My son currently attends this school. And the facilities are of no concern to myself. Neither is the level of care he receives, my opinion only however but as long as he is away from mainstream education his needs will be fully met far better than what I call factory farming.
Previously he attended a montesorri school in West yorkshire, and I found it to be not up to standard. I have a vast experience of looking after children and know what OFSTED look for.
What matters for me is that my son is happy, gets plenty of time outdoors around other children who have like minded parents to myself. Which is based around play, learn, imagination and discovery.
I have seen nothing in relation to a religious cult, yet again I have seen plenty of these in my time. And it looks very different.
The best thing we can all do is accept the situation, let those who want an alternative education be free to have one and end the subject and be onto some thing that fulfills your life, not creates conflict.
From Paul Clarke
Tuesday, 3 October 2017
Tom D says 'let those who want an alternative education be free to have one and end the subject'. The idea that we as parents are so stupid that we would allow teachers to produce drones incapable of thinking for themselves when the opposite is true.
Both our high schools are rated good whilst Steiner does much less well and our primaries are wonderful places for our kids to get all the life skills Steiner kids do.
I wouldn't just dismiss Steiner as a poor man's AS Neill and Steiner as a inferior Summerhill.
His theory of Anthroposophy is defined by Wiki as postulating the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world, accessible to human experience through inner development. If you want to base your child's education on this theory then fill your boots but it doesn't mean you can stand outside Ofsted inspections.
I am a firm believer that all faith schools should be inspected in exactly the same way as other schools are so there is a level playing field.
Of course, I respect Tom's decision to make choices based on what he thinks best, but don't dismiss the rest of us who also wrestle with tough choices as mere drones blindly giving into the man.