Pupils at the Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School in Crosby, Merseyside, have said they did “not feel safe due to inappropriate behaviour by older pupils”¸ the BBC has reported.

Merchant Taylors is a private day school for boys aged seven to 18.

In a letter to parents of pupils at the school, the Independent Schools Inspectorate said: “The school does not meet all of the required standards in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements, and should take immediate action to remedy deficiencies.

“The school has drawn up an appropriate policy for safeguarding which provides suitable arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils.

“This has not been fully implemented because the school has not ensured the provision of a safe environment for all pupils.”

The school was inspected in May against the Independent School Standards but failed to meet requirements in three of eight categories. Concerns were raised under sections: “spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils”, “welfare, health and safety” and “quality of leadership and management”.

The report said younger pupils did “not feel safe in certain areas of the school” due to the “ongoing inappropriate behaviour of older pupils in those areas” and that “respect was not promoted with regard to the protected characteristic of sex, as set out in the 2010 Equality Act”.

The school had also failed to ensure that “the leadership and management, including governance, in particular with regard to the effective promotion of appropriate behaviour in school” and “do not always promote the wellbeing of pupils”.

The report continued: “The school must ensure that it provides a safe environment for all pupils who attend the school by responding to any concerns”.

The school fared better in other areas including praise for the quality of education and suitability of staff.

Merchant Taylors’ head teacher Deiniol Williams said the school was “committed to providing an excellent and inclusive learning environment for all pupils and staff”.

He continued: “However, we are incredibly disappointed that the poor behaviour of a minority of pupils has undermined the efforts of the majority in our community, and it will not be tolerated.

“We have already taken robust action in relation to the behaviour highlighted by the inspectors and we are accelerating existing plans to establish and maintain a rigorous behaviour framework moving forward.

“We will not hesitate to exclude pupils whose behaviour falls below the high standards we expect at our school.”