A £24,000-a-year independent school on the outskirts of Canterbury has been rated inadequate by Ofsted.

Hope View School in Chilham was inspected in May and found to be failing to meet a number of standards.

Its leadership and management, safety of pupils and sixth form all received Ofsted’s lowest rating, while quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement both require improvement.

The school, in Station Approach, caters for boys aged seven to 18 with complex needs and behavioural problems, who are placed there by local authorities, including Kent, Medway and London boroughs.

It opened in 2007 and is owned by Carla Lorne and her husband Michael, who are also head and deputy head.

Lead inspector John Gush’s report, published by Ofsted this month, says the owners have failed to ensure independent school standards were met and ordered them to take action.

They are blamed for a catalogue of failings, including not monitoring pupil progress and teaching standards.

The school’s facilities are also said to be inadequate because there are no changing rooms or showers for pupils doing PE and no sink in a room where pupils receive medical treatment.

It is picked up for having 44 boys on the roll when it is supposed to have a maximum of 40.

Pupil safety is an issue because unacceptable behaviour is not followed up properly, says the report, and concerns are not always reported to the relevant authorities.

A serious allegation about “child protection” was being investigated when the inspection was carried out, noted Mr Gush.

The sixth form is inadequate because there is no curriculum for students, who take part in lessons with younger pupils.

While the overall grade is poor, a number of positives are identified.

The report says bullying is rare, pupils behave well and enjoy school, and teaching staff are committed to helping them progress. They also build good relationships with pupils, helping them develop skills and good behaviour.

The school’s previous full inspection, in November 2011, resulted in an overall rating of good.

Mr and Mrs Lorne were unavailable for comment when the Gazette went to press.