Complaint into culture of bullying
Dear Avanti Garden School,
I am interested to know what methodology was used by Steve Cox and Alan Morris to investigate the culture of bullying complaint submitted in the summer term at Steiner Academy Bristol?
I believe the investigation was conducted between July and October 2019.
Yours faithfully,
Rebecca Woodward
Dear Rebecca
I am writing to confirm that we have received your request (dated
19/12/19) for:
"..what methodology was used by Steve Cox and Alan Morris to investigate
the culture of bullying complaint submitted in the summer term at
Steiner Academy Bristol?
I believe the investigation was conducted between July and October
2019."
We will begin processing this request shortly.
Following the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act we have 20 school working
days to either:
* Provide you with the information you have requested
OR
* If we are unable to provide this information. To inform you as to why
we can't provide the data referring to a relevant exemption in the FOI
Act.
Following this, you should expect a response no later then the 30th
January 2020.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Yours sincerely
-
Joseph Atkinson
Data Officer
Avanti Gardens School
Dear Ms Woodward,
In response to your freedom of information request regarding the
methodology used by Steve Cox and Alan Morris to investigate
the culture of bullying complaint submitted in the summer term at Steiner
Academy Bristol, please see a copy of the letter from Alan Morris which
sets this out.
Kind regards,
Data Officer
Avanti Gardens School
Dear Data Officer,
Many thanks for that letter. I would also like to see the report or letter Alan produced to feedback to staff once he had completed his investigation.
Many thanks
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Woodward
Dear Data Officer,
I would also like to know whether the scope of the investigation included either reviewing exit interview from teachers/staff who left between January 2019 and August 2019
Or contacted them to take part?
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Woodward
Dear Rebecca,
Thank you for your additional questions.
Please find attached a copy of the letter from the Trustees of Steiner
Academy Bristol feeding back to the staff prior to the transfer to Avanti
Schools Trust.
Yours sincerely,
Data Officer
Avanti Gardens School
Dear Rebecca
The school does not hold this information, as this investigation was
independently conducted by the Academy Management Committee and not the
school.
Yours sincerely,
Data Officer
Avanti Gardens School
Dear Data Officer,
So to clarify - you do not have a copy of the letter sent to all staff on the results of the investigation into a culture of bullying at the school ?
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Woodward
Dear Rebecca,
The letter sent to all staff is the one that was forwarded to you on
14/02/19. The letter is dated 25/10/19.
If you did not receive it please let me know and I shall send it again.
Kind regards
Data Officer
Dear Data Officer,
Many thanks for clarifying this.
The second part was asking about whether
“I would also like to know whether the scope of the investigation included either reviewing exit interview from teachers/staff who left between January 2019 and August 2019
Or contacting them to take part?”
Just confirm was the answer to this no ? As the investigating only started in September ?
Yours sincerely
Rebecca
Dear Rebecca,
The school is unable to provide a yes or no answer as the school does not
hold this information. This investigation was independently conducted by
the Academy Management Committee and not the school.
Kind regards
Data Officer
Dear Data Officer,
Many thanks for your reply. However whilst the report was conducted by the AMC - the full report was given to the outgoing trustees - who then said they gave the report to AST and it’s recommendations.
So you should have access to it?
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Woodward
Dear Rebecca,
As this was all pre-Avanti there is no information held by the Trust.
Best wishes
Data Officer
Dear Avanti Garden School,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Avanti Garden School's handling of my FOI request 'Complaint into culture of bullying'.
All papers would of been inherited by the Trust as part of the rebrokering process. Please provide information requested.
Dear Rebecca,
Thank you for your email. Your request has been forwarded to the officers
in charge of Freedom of Information within the Avanti Trust.
Kind regards
Anna M-S
Admin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Rebecca Woodward <[FOI #629523 email]>
Sent: 23 May 2020 08:45
To: Avanti Gardens School <[email address]>
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Complaint
into culture of bullying
Dear Avanti Garden School,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information
reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Avanti Garden School's
handling of my FOI request 'Complaint into culture of bullying'.
All papers would of been inherited by the Trust as part of the rebrokering
process. Please provide information requested.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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[FOI #629523 email]
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Avanti Schools Trust is a private company limited by guarantee, and an
exempt charity, registered in England and Wales under company registration
number 07506598 with registered address: Avanti Schools Trust, Wemborough
Road, Stanmore, HA7 2EQ. VAT registration number: 122 8491 20 “Avanti
House School” is an academy school within the trust, and is effectively a
trading name of the trust.
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Dear Ms Woodward
I'm emailing to confirm we have received your request for internal review
of your Freedom of Information requests dated 15^th February and 4^th
March 2020 for the complaint into the culture of bullying. The review
will relook at whether the following information is held by the trust and
whether it can be disclosed:
o Please could you confirm if the exit IVs or if any of the staff who
left the school between September 2018 and August 2019 were examined
or contacted as part of the whistle blower complaint.
We aim to complete the review within 20 days and will notify you
accordingly of the outcome of the review.
Kind regards
Avanti Schools Trust
Wemborough Road,
Stanmore
HA7 2EQ
0208 731 1454
[1]www.avanti.org.uk
[2]Follow us on Facebook
[3]cid:image001.png@01D56FA0.10909920
Avanti Schools Trust is a private company limited by guarantee, and an
exempt charity, registered in England and Wales under company registration
number 07506598 with registered address: Avanti House School, Wemborough
Road, Stanmore, HA7 2EQ and VAT registration number 122 8491 20. The names
of all academies within Avanti Schools Trust (which are effectively
business or trading names of the company) can be found by visiting
[4]www.avanti.org.uk/ourschools.
Avanti Schools Trust is a private company limited by guarantee, and an
exempt charity, registered in England and Wales under company registration
number 07506598 with registered address: Avanti Schools Trust, Wemborough
Road, Stanmore, HA7 2EQ. VAT registration number: 122 8491 20 “Avanti
House School” is an academy school within the trust, and is effectively a
trading name of the trust.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.avanti.org.uk/
2. https://www.facebook.com/avantischools/
4. http://www.avanti.org.uk/ourschools
Dear Ms Woodward
Re: Internal Review of FOI Request – Bullying complaint at Steiner Academy
Bristol
Ref No: 1845
Thank you for your email of 23 May 2020 where you requested an internal
review of our response to your requests for information relating to the
investigation of a bullying complaint at Steiner Academy Bristol. We have
dealt with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
You had requested the following in an email dated 15 February 2020:
• “Please could you confirm if the exit IVs or if any of the
staff who left the school between September 2018 and August 2019 were
examined or contacted as part of the whistle blower complaint.”
You then followed this up with a further request concerning the same topic
on 4 March 2020:
• “Regarding the culture of bullying complaint at Steiner
Academy Bristol - which the exiting Trustees gave you all the evidence and
findings from.
Could you confirm if either Alan Morris or Steve Cox had relevant ACAS
training or equivalent qualifications to be able to conduct an
investigation into a bullying complaint?
Did either mention any conflicts of interest ?
What were their terms of reference used?”
We responded on 11th June 2020 to advise you that, following a search of
our paper and electronic records, it was established that the information
you requested was not held by Avanti Schools Trust. While information
concerning the bullying investigation was passed to the Trust by Steiner
Academy Bristol at the time of transfer, the documents available to us did
not provide any information which could assist in answering your specific
requests.
As part of the internal review process, your requests have been looked at
again by a senior member of the Trust. We can confirm that following this
review, there has been no further information come to light which can
assist in providing answers to your questions.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to make a complaint in line with the Avanti Complaints Procedure
documented on the Avanti Schools Trust website. You also have the right
to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s
Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.
Yours sincerely,
Avanti Schools Trust
Wemborough Road,
Stanmore
HA7 2EQ
0208 731 1454
[1]www.avanti.org.uk
[2]Follow us on Facebook
[3]cid:image001.png@01D56FA0.10909920
Avanti Schools Trust is a private company limited by guarantee, and an
exempt charity, registered in England and Wales under company registration
number 07506598 with registered address: Avanti House School, Wemborough
Road, Stanmore, HA7 2EQ and VAT registration number 122 8491 20. The names
of all academies within Avanti Schools Trust (which are effectively
business or trading names of the company) can be found by visiting
[4]www.avanti.org.uk/ourschools.
Avanti Schools Trust is a private company limited by guarantee, and an
exempt charity, registered in England and Wales under company registration
number 07506598 with registered address: Avanti Schools Trust, Wemborough
Road, Stanmore, HA7 2EQ. VAT registration number: 122 8491 20 “Avanti
House School” is an academy school within the trust, and is effectively a
trading name of the trust.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.avanti.org.uk/
2. https://www.facebook.com/avantischools/
4. http://www.avanti.org.uk/ourschools
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