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Alleged sexual abuse of students in Scottish boarding schools

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Under the Freedom of Information Act I request the following information relating to allegations of child sexual abuse by staff members at boarding schools, that were reported to your local authority since the introduction of the Local Authority Designated Officer role in 2007.

If this request will take longer than the approved number of research hours to complete an FOI request, then please amend this request to only provide details relating to allegations that have been reported to you since Jan 1st 2012.

For ease I have included the list of boarding schools (and their addresses) that fall under the jurisdiction of your Local Authority.

For clarity, I can confirm the information you provide will be only used to provide national statistics, and the specific information provided by your local authority will not be examined or broadcast in isolation.

1) How many school staff have been accused of the sexual abuse of a pupil from the boarding schools listed below since the establishment of Education Scotland?

This figure will relate only to incidents which were reported to Education Scotland.

2) This information should be broken down by case and should include:

a) The year the alleged incident was reported (calendar year)

b) The year the alleged incident took place (calendar year(s)

c) The job title of the accused staff member, to be limited to ‘teacher’ or ‘non-teacher’

d) What was the judgment made during the allegation management meeting? Options include unfounded, unsubstantiated or substantiated, or add another as needed (NB: specific details of further actions followed are included in questions below)

e) During the investigation into the allegation, or following its conclusion, did Education Scotland report the alleged incident to the police (answers should be ‘yes’ or ‘no’).

f) Was the staff member suspended as a result of the incident (answers should be ‘yes’ ‘no’ or 'don't know').

g) Was the staff member disciplined or given a written warning as a result of the incident (answers should be 'no', 'disciplined', 'written warning' or 'don't know').

h) Was the staff member given further training as a result of the incident (answers should be ‘yes’ , ‘no’ or don't know').

i) Was the staff member dismissed as a result of the incident (answers should be ‘yes’ , ‘no’ or 'don't know').

j) Did Education Scotland send a referral to the Disclosure and barring service about this incident (answers should be ‘yes’ , ‘no’ or 'don't know').

I would prefer to receive the answers electronically in an email, underneath the questions.

Should you have any need of clarification, please contact me via this email. Under your section 16 duty to provide advice and assistance, I would expect you to contact me ASAP if you find this request unmanageable in any way. Similarly, if you are unable to fulfil the request, as per the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would expect advice and assistance to find the information I am seeking.

I would be grateful if you could confirm that you have received this request and I look forward to your response with the 20 working days obligation under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

List of Boarding schools covered by the request:

Albyn School, 17-23 Queen's Road, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom, AB15 4PB
Lathallan School, Brotherton Castle, Johnshaven, Angus, United Kingdom, DD10 0HN
Lomond School, 10 Stafford Street, Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, G84 9JX
Dollar Academy, Dollar, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, FK14 7DU
Stewart's Melville College, Queensferry Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3EZ
Fettes College, East Fettes Avenue, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, EH4 1QX
Fettes College Preparatory School, East Fettes Avenue, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, EH4 1QZ
Merchiston Castle School, Colinton Road, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, EH13 0PU
The Mary Erskine School, Ravelston, Edinburgh, Lothian, United Kingdom, EH4 3NT
Cargilfield, 45 Gamekeeper's Road, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH4 6HU
ESMS Junior School, Queensferry Road, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH4 3EZ
St George's School for Girls, Garscube Terrace, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH12 6BG
Edinburgh Academy Senior School, Henderson Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5BL
Edinburgh Academy Junior School, 10 Arboretum Road, Edinburgh, EH3 5PL
St Leonards School, St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom, KY16 9QJ
Fort Augustus Abbey, Fort Augustus, Loch Ness, PH32 4BJ
Gordonstoun School, Duffus, Elgin, Moray, United Kingdom, IV30 5RF
Ardvreck School, Gwydyr Road, Crieff, Perthshire, United Kingdom, PH7 4EX
Glenalmond College, Glenalmond, Perth, Perthshire, United Kingdom, PH1 3RY
Kilgraston School, Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, United Kingdom, PH2 9BQ
Strathallan School, Forgandenny Perth, Perthshire, United Kingdom, PH2 9EG
Balnacraig School, Fairmount Terrace, Perth, PH2 7AS
Lendrick Muir School, Naemoor Rd, Rumbling Bridge, Kinross KY13 0QA
Morrison's Academy, Ferntower Rd, Crieff, PH7 3AN
St Mary's Prep School, Abbey Park, Melrose, Scottish Borders, TD6 9LN
Queen Victoria School, Dunblane FK15 0JY
Belhaven Hill School, Belhaven Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, United Kingdom, EH42 1NN
Loretto School,1-7 Linkfield Road, Musselburgh, East Lothian, United Kingdom, EH21 7RE
Carlekemp Priory School, 4 Abbotsford Road, North Berwick, EH39 5DA

Education Scotland

Dear Martha
 
I am writing regarding your request dated 31 October 2017 for information
about alleged sexual abuse of students in Scottish boarding schools.
 
A request is not valid if it does not, in accordance with section 8(1)(b)
of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), state the name
of the applicant.  As your request provides only your first name, we do
not consider it to be a valid request.  Accordingly, we are not obliged to
respond to it.
 
However, if you provide your name (a surname and title, e.g. Mr or Ms, is
sufficient) we would be able to consider your request and respond in
accordance with FOISA.  If you need any further advice and assistance to
submit a valid request, please contact me.  You may also find it helpful
to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner’s ‘Tips for requesting
information under FOI and the EIRs’ on her website at:
[1]http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourR....
 
Your right to request a review
 
If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information
request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response,
by writing to our Interim Chief Executive, Karen Reid at
[2]ps/[email address].  Your review request
should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be
made within 40 working days from the date when you received this letter. 
We will complete the review and tell you the result, within 20 working
days from the date when we receive your review request.
 
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the
right to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner.  More detailed
information on your appeal rights is available on the Commissioner’s
website at:
[3]http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourR....
 
Yours sincerely
 
A Boland
Corporate Business Manager
Education Scotland
 
-----------------------------------------------------------
 
 

Dear Education Scotland,

My surname is Elwell and email address is [email address]. I trust this email means the request has now resumed.

Yours faithfully,

Martha Elwell

Education Scotland

 

From: PS/Education Scotland
Sent: 08 November 2017 12:13
To: Elwell, Martha; [email address]
Subject: RE: FOI 17 02635 - Alleged sexual abuse of students in Scottish
boarding schools

 

Dear Ms Elwell

 

We can confirm that we are dealing with Freedom of Information request and
we will respond to you by 4 December 2017.

 

Regards.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Official Correspondence Unit | Education Scotland | Foghlam Alba

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tel:      0131 244 4330

 

Web:          [1]www.education.gov.scot

 

 

From: Elwell, Martha [[2]mailto:[email address]]
Sent: 08 November 2017 12:07
To: PS/Education Scotland; [3][email address]
Subject: Re: FOI 17 02635 - Alleged sexual abuse of students in Scottish
boarding schools

 

Hi

 

Thanks for this. I've since received a message from What Do They Know
asking for my surname again. Just wanted to check that this was a mistake
and the request is still taking place?

 

Thanks

------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [4][email address]
<[5][email address]> on behalf of
[6]ps/[email address]
<[7]ps/[email address]>
Sent: 03 November 2017 07:48:28
To: Elwell, Martha; [8][email address]
Cc: [9]ps/[email address]
Subject: FOI 17 02635 - Alleged sexual abuse of students in Scottish
boarding schools

 

Dear Martha Elwell

We acknowledge receipt of your email of 3 November 2017 containing your
name and email address to validate your request under the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA).  In accordance with FOISA we will
respond to you by 4 December 2017.  If you have any queries please contact
us quoting case number FOI/17/02635.

Regards.

R Heed
Corporate Business Manager

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Education Scotland

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Elwell
 
Please see attached a response to your Freedom of Information request,
FOI/17/02635.
 
Regards.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Official Correspondence Unit | Education Scotland | Foghlam Alba
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tel:    0131 244 4330
 
Web:    [1]www.education.gov.scot
 
-------------------------------------------------------
 

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We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not – if you are Martha please sign in and let everyone know.