An independent investigation into allegations of discrimination, bullying, favouritism, racism, Islamophobia, safeguarding breaches, and more, presided over (and carried out) by the leadership team at Holland Park School in west London, has found that "on the balance of probabilities” every complaint made happened.
Last year, a group of ex-teachers, then a group of ex and current pupils, wrote open letters about the staggering abuses of power that had gone on for decades. When any students or parents had tried to tackle the school before, they were disbelieved. It's only because these teachers and students banded together, and because then their allegations were taken up and published by the Guardian, that anything finally happened. The head teacher has now left, but the school still needs to tackle the ingrained culture of abuse, and address the harm already done to so many young people.
The old head, Colin Hall, and his leadership team, ruled by fear and bullying. It took a great deal of courage for the teachers and pupils to give evidence to the investigation. AIBU to applaud their bravery, and hope that their example will help these abuses happening at any other school?