Williamson vows action against ‘sickening acts’
GAVIN Williamson vowed last night to take action over the pupil abuse scandal – and urged all victims of ‘sickening acts’ to report them to police.
The Education Secretary condemned the alleged assaults as ‘shocking and abhorrent’ and indicated any schools implicated could face Government measures.
His intervention came as the Department for Education (DfE) and police made contact with the founders of the Everyone’s Invited website – which was set up by former private school pupils to expose harassment – to provide ‘support, protection and advice’.
It is understood the DfE is poised to instruct Ofsted or the Independent Schools Inspectorate to inspect any school that has failed to safeguard pupils.
The Government can then force the school to improve or even close it down.
Mr Williamson wrote on Twitter yesterday: ‘No school – whether an independent school or state school – should ever be an environment where young people feel unsafe, let alone somewhere that sexual abuse can take place.
‘The allegations that I have heard in recent days are shocking and abhorrent.
‘Any victim of these sickening acts that we’ve seen reported should raise their concerns with someone they trust, whether that’s a family member or friend, a teacher, social worker, or the police. We will take appropriate action.’
Meanwhile, shocked head teachers of girls’ private schools said yesterday they were talking to current and former students over sex allegations at neighbouring schools.
The Girls’ Schools Association (GSA), represents more than 100 top British girls’ private schools, said that in some cases they are referring incidents to the police.
GSA schools include James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS), attended by some of the girls making accusations about Dulwich
College boys. Yesterday GSA chief executive Donna Stevens released a statement saying the ‘deeply troubling’ allegations ‘must not be ignored’.
She said: ‘Our schools are taking this issue seriously and talking with current and former students as well as parents to bring about positive change.’
Her words came as a former pupil at
JAGS revealed herself to be the co-author of a letter making allegations against Dulwich College pupils.
Eleni Thwaites, now at Oxford University, told her student newspaper that Dulwich boys had a reputation for being ‘entitled and dangerous’. She said that while she herself was not a victim, she was ‘confided in’ by others from the school.
Miss Thwaites told The Oxford Blue: ‘The kind of pack hunting behaviour described here is consistent with many of the testimonies, which describe boys ganging up on girls on the coach or at parties, often with malicious intent.’
Two former Dulwich pupils have been referred to the police after the dossier was presented to the school.
Last week, dozens of pupils also walked out of Highgate School in north London in protest at its alleged ‘rape culture’.
‘Ganging up with malicious intent’