York Steiner School

York Steiner School's recent inspection highlights ongoing challenges in meeting independent school standards, despite some progress made since the last inspection. The leadership has initiated an action plan to address previous shortcomings, yet many improvements are still in the early stages and have not been fully embedded. The evident instability in staffing and leadership has further compounded the challenges, emphasizing the need for continued support and training for staff to implement the curriculum effectively and address gaps in pupils' knowledge. While the school provides a broad curriculum that progresses in complexity, there are significant issues with the coherence of learning sequences, which hamper overall educational effectiveness. Additionally, the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs needs to be better managed, as adaptations made for them often do not align with their specific requirements, leading to difficulties in their learning and behavior. However, the school's commitment to creating an inclusive environment is evident, and pupils feel safe and cared for within the school community.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and well cared for.
• Leadership has a clear and realistic view of the school's position.
• The curriculum offers opportunities for practical and outdoor learning.
• Pupils with SEND benefit from an inclusive environment.

Areas for Improvement

• Some unmet independent school standards remain.
• Incoherent learning sequences in parts of the curriculum.
• Staff struggle to develop pupils' foundational skills.
• Pupils with SEND do not receive consistently effective adaptations to learning.
• Inconsistencies in using assessment information to inform teaching.

In 2025–26, 13.7% of pupils at York Steiner School were on SEN support (nationally 18.4%) and 2.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 7.9%).

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded independent school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is York Steiner School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for York Steiner School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was York Steiner School last inspected by Ofsted?

York Steiner School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does York Steiner School have?

York Steiner School has 197 pupils on roll.

What age range does York Steiner School cover?

York Steiner School for pupils aged 3 to 16.

Where is York Steiner School?

York Steiner School is at Danesmead, Fulford Cross, York, York, North Yorkshire, YO10 4PB.