A team of inspectors has descended on a second Aberdeen fee-paying school to examine staff standards and the care of children.
It follows a number of complaints from parents whose youngsters attend the Aberdeen Waldorf School at Cults.
One told regulators there was a bullying problem and bad management.
The school said it was co-operating fully with the investigations by the Care Inspectorate – which oversees nursery care – and Education Scotland, which upholds classroom standards on behalf of the government.
The Aberdeen Waldorf School, which is run on the principles set down by philosopher Dr Rudolph Steiner, looks after about 100 children aged up to 16.
Inspection teams arrived at the site on the fringes of Aberdeen yesterday morning – less than three weeks after the same regulators moved to shut down the Hamilton School in Queen’s Road amid claims it was no longer safe for children.
Seán Gordon, chair of the college of teachers at Waldorf, which charges between £3,300 and £8,340 a year, said the joint inspection was a “safety measure” in light of events at the Hamilton School. He added: “The authorities are on high alert. I wouldn’t say the inspection was a concern and we welcome anything the inspectors might say.”
Parent Jane Ronie, 51, of Milltimber, who has a teenage son at the school, said she was shocked by the development.
“I am very happy with the care at the school and his educational development,” she said.
“I think one or two parents have been spiralling something out of control.”
Another parent, who complained to the Care Inspectorate and asked not to be named, said: “A lot of parents are very anxious at what is going on at the school and a number of stories are now coming out.”
The inspection teams are likely to be in place until tomorrow. The inquiries follow spot checks by the Care Inspectorate last Thursday.
A Care Inspectorate spokesman said the focus was on complaints about staffing and the care of children.
“Because concerns have been raised about the school as well as the nursery, we are also carrying out a focussed joint inspection with colleagues from Education Scotland over the next few days,” she added.
“Our first priority must always be the safety and wellbeing of children.”