A private school with fees of up to £6,000 a year needs to take immediate action to improve safety and welfare arrangements for pupils, according to its latest Ofsted report.

The Bryony School in Rainham has been rated “inadequate” by Ofsted after inspectors visited last month.

The preparatory school, which has 188 pupils aged two to 11, was found to be “inadequate” in the effectiveness of leadership and management, personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils and for their early years provision.

But it was rated “good” for the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils.

Bryony, in Marshall Road, was previously rated “good” by the school watchdog after its previous inspection in February 2010.

The report states the proprietors of the school failed to conduct pre-employment checks on staff to make sure they were suitable to work with children.

The medical room does not meet health and safety requirements and the accident records show that pupils have injured themselves when using steep cellar steps to access their cloakroom.

Inspector Liz Bowes, wrote: “The proprietors, one of whom is the head teacher, have not ensured that pupils are kept safe at all times.

“Leaders’ evaluation of the school’s effectiveness is overgenerous. The quality of teaching is poorly monitored.

“The proprietors, one of whom is the head teacher, have not ensured that pupils are kept safe at all times" - Inspector Liz Bowes

“Governance is ineffective. It does not hold the school effectively to account.

“There is no systematic challenge to the school. Those responsible for governance have not acted to address the areas that need to be rapidly improved.”

Despite this, inspectors found that at the end of Key Stage 2 pupils achieve grades higher than the national average.

Ms Bowes also wrote: “Teaching is good despite inadequate leadership. This is because teachers are highly committed and highly experienced. Strong teamwork among themselves ensures that they are effective in helping pupils make good progress.”

Head teacher David Edmunds said: “We had a blip with the paperwork and that’s been rectified so onwards and upwards. It’s a bit disappointing but education had always been first class here.

"It’s a technical glitch mostly and we’ve already rectified a few things, so onwards and upwards.”