Controversial Derbyshire school to be scaled back

The kindergarten and day nursery at  Derbyshire independent school and day nursery which is part of a 1,000-strong global network are set to be wound up.

Siann Huntley and Andy Beckingham from Leonard Curtis Business Rescue & Recovery were been appointed as joint administrators to the Derbyshire‐based independent school Michael House and Rowans Day Nursery last month.

Since then, the administrators say a number of parents have removed their children from the school, making it an unviable business.

The school, kindergarten and nursery provided education from birth through to 16 years and is part of a worldwide network of organisations which educate children according to the principles of Rudolf Steiner, the Austrian-born occultist who died in 1925.

Steiner schools base their curriculum – which emphasises creativity and imagination – on the spiritual philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. The Department for Education expressing concerns going back to 2014 after it emerged that the founder had held controversial views on race, saying that black people were a “nuisance” to Europe.

The Derbyshire school and day nursery looked after around 80 pupils at its Heanor site.

Huntley said: “The actions of these parents are completely understandable in the circumstances. It is regrettable that this difficult decision has had to be taken. I would like to reassure parents that the main school will remain unaffected. We are committed to ensuring that the remaining pupils, and notably GCSE students, continue to receive the expected standards of education until the end of the school year.”

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