Private school suspends seven over ‘brawling’

SEVEN pupils have been suspended from a prestigious private school after fighting in the grounds.

The students at Edinburgh Academy – which charges fees of up to £13,644 a year – brawled as fellow pupils watched.

Reports yesterday of a ‘fight club’ where children gambled on who would win brawls were dismissed by staff at the school.

But it is understood seven pupils were suspended after the incident last Thursday and are expected to meet rector Barry Welsh today to discuss their futures.

A senior school insider said: ‘The term “fight club” is not a term recognised by the school. A disciplinary issue was dealt with and appropriate measures were taken. The parents of those involved were informed.

‘A few children were behaving badly and others were watching. A number of children were disciplined as a result. Swift action was taken.’

Sources told a Sunday newspaper that a ‘fight club’ had been operating for ‘weeks at least’, with children gambling on the outcome of the brawls.

It was also reported that about 50 pupils were involved, leading to parental concern that the school had failed to act promptly to stamp out the ‘club’.

One source reportedly said: ‘There was considerable shock among parents. It is a fee-paying school and there’s a fairly strict selection process. We’re just into the start of the school term, so there is a concern it may have been going on since last year.’

But the school yesterday insisted that it did not ‘recognise’ the figure of 50 children or the claim that a club had been formed that had organised a series of fights.

Edinburgh Academy – whose motto translates as ‘Always to Excel’ – is a school for day pupils in the affluent Inverleith area of the city and was founded in 1824. It became fully co-educational in 2008.

Former pupils include Robert Louis Stevenson, former Mastermind presenter Magnus Magnusson, TV presenter Nicky Campbell, the late Labour MP Tam Dalyell and Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman.

The school’s website states: ‘As an outward-looking Scottish school, the attributes of the Edinburgh Academy learner are resilience, curiosity, independence, collaborative attitudes and creativity.

‘These are nurtured in a caring environment through our exceptional academic offering but also through the expressive arts, outdoor education, sport and service to the community.’

Last night, a spokesman for Edinburgh Academy said: ‘Aggressive behaviour has no place within the school. Any incidents are dealt with under the disciplinary code, which applies to all pupils.’

‘Strict selection process’