Schools accused of 'toxic culture' toward pupils

A leading school academy trust is facing allegations of presiding over a "toxic culture" toward its pupils.

More than 150 current and former pupils, parents, former teachers and professionals have shared their experiences of the Mossbourne Federation schools in Hackney, east London.

The allegations, which span two decades, include claims that teachers would routinely scream at pupils for minor infractions, with "public humiliation" being commonplace.

A Mossbourne Federation spokesperson said it was being targeted by a "vexatious campaign" and it offered a safe learning environment for all its pupils, as evidenced by positive Ofsted reports and local authority reviews.

The federation runs two primaries, two secondaries and a sixth form, which a total of about 3,500 students attend.

Many of the complaints relate to the treatment of pupils at the two secondary schools - Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy (MVPA) and Mossbourne Community Academy (MCA).

Current and former students and parents have described an environment in which fear and intimidation were used to enforce strict discipline and achieve strong academic results, with a lack of adequate support for students struggling with their mental health.

The environment was described as one of harsh punishments, toilet restrictions and a "no-excuses" approach. It allegedly affected those with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) disproportionately.

The testimony described widespread safeguarding failings across the schools and a culture of silencing or dismissing parental concerns.

It said its schools were "proactive in engaging with parents and the community to address concerns", it offered regular parent surgeries and clear routes to raise complaints and that it "encouraged any parent or member of staff to raise concerns with us directly".

"Our academies have more than double the national average number of students with Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs), and consistently receive the highest ratio of consultations for students with EHCPs. This data demonstrates a commitment to inclusion and support for Send students.

"Attendance rates for all students, including Send and disadvantaged students, are significantly above the national average. This suggests that these students feel safe and supported in the school environment."

Responding to claims of racial bias toward pupils, the federation said: "Our schools pride themselves on being welcoming and inclusive for all our students and so we categorically deny these accusations of racism directed at our staff.

"Furthermore, we foster a supportive family culture within the Mossbourne Federation and we actively reject any form of discrimination in our academies."

It added that "over the years there have been a number of complaints received about hairstyles and all have been dealt with appropriately. Our policy has been reviewed and has evolved."

On allegations of teachers screaming at students, it said it "acknowledged that teachers may sometimes use a raised voice to ensure a focused and safe learning environment. However, there is no evidence to support claims of teachers screaming at, or verbally abusing, students."

Isaac, who did not want his surname to be published, said it was a "daily occurrence" to hear teachers "completely fly off the handle" at pupils, including those as young as 12 and 13.

He left the school with top grades but questioned whether it had been worth it due to the impact on his mental health.

The spokesperson for the Mossbourne Federation said it was treating all claims with the "utmost seriousness".

MCA's website states: "Impeccable pupil behaviour is achieved because our expectations are communicated clearly and regularly. There is no ambiguity regarding our expectations and our pupils feel safe."

After pulling his son out of the school, he found dozens of other parents had similar complaints across all of the Mossbourne schools spread over nearly two decades.

Mr Leary-May said he started gathering anonymised accounts and began sharing the information with Ofsted, the Department for Education (DfE) and Hackney Council.

His younger son still attends the school, primarily because he did not want to leave his friends.

"I absolutely don't want the school closed down," added Mr Leary-May.

In response, the federation said: "It is important to consider the context of these allegations. The father leading this campaign has repeatedly declined to engage in MVPA's formal complaints process, including offers of mediation.

"He has also enrolled his younger child at MVPA, which raises questions about the sincerity of his concerns."

The Mossbourne Federation spokesperson said student wellbeing was "paramount" and that issues raised by parents seriously were investigated fully.

"We have also had external reviews by Ofsted and the local authority – in none of these were any concerns raised," they added.

The federation said it had tried to engage with the Educating Hackney campaign and that its staff had been left "upset by the apparent vexatious nature of the allegations".

The MCA was listed by the Sunday Times this week as the 15th best state school in Britain.

Hackney councillor Penny Wrout, who is part of the Educating Hackney group, said she had raised concerns about the Mossbourne Federation schools a year ago and had been "passed from one authority to another".

She has called on the council to conduct a safeguarding review on the back of the testimony gathered.

Anntoinette Bramble, the council's cabinet member for education, said: "We take the council's and all our schools' safeguarding responsibilities seriously, and we expect everyone who works with children and young people to treat them with the respect, kindness and professionalism they deserve."

She said the council had engaged with the DfE, Ofsted, the Mossbourne Federation and the independent safeguarding children's commissioner.

Ms Bramble said a multi-agency meeting would take place to discuss the next steps.