The head of a boys-only independent boarding school has told an inquiry that concerns of a “predatory culture” are an issue for all schools.
Jonathan Anderson, headmaster at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, said it was “not fair” to single out boys-only schools over the issue.
Giving evidence at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, Anderson said his school had done a “harrowing” review of files and accepted there may have been abuse between 1930, when the school moved to Colinton, and 2014.
Andrew Brown QC, counsel to the inquiry, questioned him on recent media reports that boys’ schools can produce a “predatory culture”.
Anderson, who took over at Merchiston in 2018 after 20 years of teaching at boarding schools in England, said: “It is an issue across all schools. I think it’s unfair to single out boys’ schools as I think it’s a societal issue . . . It’s about how we educate young men, and we take that responsibility very seriously.
“Being able to have a frank discussion with them in a boys-only space is very healthy in that regard.”
The inquiry also heard a written statement from the school which said a review of records found it had failed to protect some children from abuse, in particular in relation to a now-dead member of staff. The review found there may have been physical and emotional abuse at the school over the nine decades examined, including bullying, voyeurism and “lewd practices”.
The records point to this mainly involving staff abuse of pupils, but the files also contain references to verbal and physical bullying among students.
One account from a pupil in the 1950s described both sexual abuse and bullying from students.
Further documents suggested the school—the last boys-only independent boarding school in Scotland—did not adequately record all abuse reports.
Anderson said: “It has been a salutary experience and a harrowing experience for all involved and we are deeply sorry that it’s taken this to bring it to our attention, but the school of today absolutely recognises that safeguarding is our top priority.”
The inquiry heard the school had updated its child protection policies, trained both pupils and staff on this, and had greater oversight on the issue.
The inquiry, being heard before Lady Smith in Edinburgh, continues.
