A new report on child sexual abuse found that boarding schools are the best environment for grooming. Children are more dependent on adults than they are in non-residential settings.
According to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, some children may consider their residential school their home.
The investigation focused on residential specialist music schools and residential schools where children were more at risk of sexual abuse. It also examined other types of schools, including day schools, in which staff had been convicted of sexual abuse of pupils or where there were serious safeguarding concerns.
The inquiry’s initial phase, which saw public hearings held in September and Oct 2019, was about residential music schools. This included Chethams School Manchester, Yehudi Menuhin School Surrey, and Purcell School Hertfordshire.
It also looked at residential special schools such as Southlands School in Hampshire, Appletree School, Cumbria, and Royal School Manchester.
The second phase focused on three mainstream schools in which sexual abuse allegations were raised. This included a state school as well as a private boarding school.
These allegations relate to incidents that were alleged to have occurred between the 1960s and 2014.
According to the report, some students were more likely to be sexually abused because of the power and influence of highly respected and influential music teachers.
When allegations were made, or concerns were raised, the reputations of the schools and musicians were often more important than those who were the victims.
The response was similar to concerns raised about staff members who are well-liked and respected in other school settings, in both the independent sector and the state sector.
Our website #ResidentialSchoolsToday’s report shows that schools aren’t as safe as they should and that children’s best interests don’t always come first when sexual abuse allegations are made.
You can read the entire investigation report here https://t.co/xF6BkWRhaO pic.twitter.com/LoFMAr3J9f
InquiryCSA (@InquiryCSA). March 1, 2022
The report found that 12 schools and eight schools that were closed down had a reluctance of staff or pupils to report any sexual abuse.
It said that, despite many improvements and changes in safeguarding since the complaints regarding child sexual abuse made in the closed residential school account, children continue to be subject to sexual abuse and sexual harassment at schools.
Ineffective safeguarding at schools over the past twenty years was a topic of inquiry. The inquiry was also informed that testimonies from Everyones Invited show that peer harassment and sexual abuse are still endemic in some schools.
It was heard that Michael Brewer, the former director of music at Chethams School was a powerful figure who had complete control over all matters relating music.
Frances Andrade was a former pupil of the school. She had given evidence about how Brewer had groomed, sexually abused, and took her own life in 2013.
Inquiry also revealed that Christopher Ling (a Chethams violin tutor) abused a number students in his care in the 1980s, when they were between nine and fifteen years old.
The report included a number of recommendations to improve school safety, including establishing nationally recognized standards and safeguarding training levels in schools. Headteachers in England and Wales will be required to have the highest level of safeguarding and designated safeguarding leads in England. Boarding schools and residential special schools will also need to inform inspectors of any allegations of child sexual abuse or other serious incidents.
Professor Alexis Jay, Chair of the Inquiry, said that today’s publication is the 19th inquiry report into residential schools.
Schools play a vital role in the lives and education of nearly nine million children in England, and half a billion in Wales. Schools should be safe places where children can learn from trusted teachers and thrive in a safe environment.
This contrasts with the shocking examples of child sexual abuse that are detailed in this report. They are not what a school should look like.
Staff were often unaware of how to respond or afraid to act when they were under poor leadership. In some cases, it was obvious that the school’s reputation was more important than the protection of the children from sexual abuse. This theme is very common in many of our reports.
While residential and day schools play an important role in protecting children from harm, they aren’t as safe as they should be despite being more focused on safeguarding for 20 years. This must change. These seven recommendations must be implemented to improve the schools’ child protection systems.
