Owner of £26,000-a-pupil school for girls in Shropshire faces criticism

Ofsted inspectors visited the Darwin School, which is based in Minsterley and which charges £26,000 for every pupil referred there.

When the school, which takes pupils from across the county, was last inspected in 2012 it received an outstanding rating. But just four years later this has fallen to inadequate.

The leaders and the proprietor of the independent school, which caters for girls aged between eight to 18, were criticised for failing to meet the appropriate standard.

Safety checks at the school, which is owned by London-based Cambian Group, were not carried out on fire equipment and staff had not been properly trained.

Inspectors, who visited in February, also found that work was not well matched to pupils' abilities and their progress was inadequate as a result. A number of the pupils felt they weren't learning well.

The inspection was carried out by Government inspector Susan Lewis.

She said: "Leaders have not ensured that all the standards in relation to the quality of education, welfare, health and safety and leadership and management are met."

She also found that the curriculum did not meet pupils' needs, including in key stage two and in the sixth form.

"It does not take sufficient account of pupils' ages, abilities and previous courses," she said. "It does not inspire pupils to learn.

"Pupils' attendance is low and too many arrive late to school. A few pupils' attitudes to the school and to learning are negative."

She added: "Links between home, school and therapy support do not ensure consistent systems for supporting pupils. Staff morale is low.

"The school has declined since the previous inspection. The new proprietors have not ensured that standards in teaching and learning and those relating to pupils' progress have remained good or better.

"The high turnover of staff has resulted in alteration to the courses and subjects provided for pupils. This has caused disruption to pupils' learning and has slowed their progress."

Ms Lewis also reported that: "Although some individual pupils attend every day and have improved their attendance compared with previously, a few do not.

"Some pupils regularly arrive at school late, sometimes by as much as an hour. A few attend irregularly or not at all."

The school was also heavily criticised for the teaching and learning in maths and other subjects, although it was found that the attainment of the pupils in English was adequate.

No-one was available from Cambian Group for comment.