A new private school is unlikely to meet all standards when it opens in September, Ofsted has said.

Langley Hill Independent School will open in place of the former Rudolf Steiner School in Kings Langley.

The troubled school closed earlier this year after Ofsted inspections in November 2018 and December 2016 rated it inadequate and pointed to leadership and student safeguarding issues.

Langley Hill Independent School will be a new Waldorf-inspired school, which means it is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner.

It will open in September 2019 and annual fees can cost up to £15,000.

An Ofsted inspection in May found the new school is “unlikely to meet all the independent school standards when it opens”.

It will retain around half of the former Rudolf Steiner School employees. But Ofsted inspectors said the school had not considered how staff from the former school will be well supported and trained.

They added the school had not yet confirmed who the new principal would be. However, the school’s website suggests it had announced on May 1 that Adrian Hubbard will take up the leadership role.

The report also found it was not clear how teaching will be monitored and supported by senior leaders.

Inspectors wrote: “Despite stating that this school is a ‘clean slate’ from the failings of the school previously on the site, there was no evidence provided about how the new proposed proprietorial body was going to ensure this.”

The school confirmed the board of trustees who were attached to the former school still own the freehold and Langley Hill has a 100-year lease. But it claims the board will be made up of new members.

Safeguarding

The new school has a safeguarding policy and code of conduct, inspectors said.

The policy references the responsibility of the chief executive officer, who would deal with allegations against staff. But this position does not exist within the proposed school structure.

The report suggests the role of safeguarding leader is part of the assistant headteacher role – but this job had not yet been advertised at the time.

Ofsted inspectors said they thought the welfare, health and safety standard of pupils is unlikely to be met.

Despite the shortcomings, inspectors said the new school has a clear vision and has created policies about how it intends to support pupils’ development.

There is also an anti-bullying policy, healthy and safety policies, and a complaints policy in place.

Langley Hill Independent School had been contacted for comment. But no response was received at the time of publication.