Shouting, public humiliation and pupils' mental health issues at Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy (MVPA) have been revealed in a highly-anticipated safeguarding review published today.
Two pupils said their mistreatment at the hands of teachers led them to self-harm, with one made to feel like they "didn't deserve to live" because of their grades.
This is just one of a number of shocking disclosures in a review by Sir Alan Wood CBE that was triggered a year ago by parents' complaints about the school’s strict behaviour policy.
Sir Alan found that concerns about practices such as shouting and public humiliation "can be substantiated".
This includes a policy known as ‘desking’, which sees pupils ordered to sit alone in corridors for what the review described as "minor infractions".
One former student told the Citizen she had been 'desked' when she was having a panic attack. "It wasn’t punishment," she explained. "It was in a hidden corridor, sort of away from people, but anyone could come by at any point.
"I was sitting there crying for a very long time, and I remember the general vibe being, ‘Oh, can you just be done with this now and go to class, and get back to learning?'"
According to the Sir Alan's report, shouting at pupils was also "so routine" that it was "no longer recognised as harmful”.
The review quotes one teacher who said: "It was frequently made clear to teachers by the SLT [Senior Leadership Team] that empathy was considered a weakness, and that raising your voice was a requirement.
"The 'tough love' message was reinforced in assemblies and in person by imagery of a red fist and heart".
Another teacher said the mental health of students was considered "secondary to their academic outcomes", while a parent alleged their child was "absolutely petrified" of speaking to staff and wouldn't drink water because of the lack of time allowed for using the toilet.
Sir Alan added that certain students, including children with SEND or from some ethnic groups, were "disproportionately impacted by sanctions", with Black boys in particular subjected to "racialised language and microaggressions".
While his review acknowledged the school's "strong academic results", Sir Alan said a "climate of fear" and "no excuses" had resulted in a "punishment no matter what" approach.
"Academic excellence that traumatises some pupils is not true excellence," he wrote. "Discipline through fear is not preparing young people for life as confident, independent adults”.
Former student Shae, who is now at university, told the Citizen this fear was something she felt daily. "Every day I felt on edge”, she said. "I felt scared to do something wrong in case there were going to be repercussions. Even if you forgot a pen, a book, you’re sitting in detention for an hour, two hours”.
The review was also critical of the school's response to complaints, saying: "A defensive and dismissive leadership culture has refuted these concerns, branding them as 'vexatious', and has prioritised academic reputation over engaging with criticism.
"Leadership has come to believe harsh discipline is not just a means but the defining characteristic of success - the method has become the mission”, he added. The report concludes: "Every child attending MVPA is entitled to an education that protects their dignity, wellbeing, and development”.
"The Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments. The statutory definition of safeguarding includes emotional wellbeing. Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights prohibits degrading treatment. For some pupils, MVPA has failed to meet these standards”.
The Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review was commissioned to investigate "widespread concerns" of parents with children at the school.
The review found that "some practitioners consider that MVPA’s uncompromising culture on academic success and its approach to behaviour are leaving needs unmet and exacerbating mental health issues in pupils.
"The school's leadership has created a structured environment that can be positive for those who can navigate its strictures.
"However, this same system is implemented with a rigidity and a lack of differentiation that does not protect the wellbeing of a vulnerable minority".
It continued: "This review has examined a school that simultaneously achieves remarkable academic success whilst causing harm to some of its most vulnerable pupils.
"MVPA's achievements are real - examination results are outstanding, attendance exceeds national averages, and many pupils thrive. These successes deserve recognition.
"However, there is substantiated evidence that for a significant minority of pupils, particularly those with SEND, mental health challenges, or who struggle to conform to an inflexible system, the school's approach to discipline has been harmful”.
Shae can attest to this. Speaking to the Citizen, she said students who were "already smart" were treated differently to those who needed extra support.
"The school rules didn’t apply to everyone”, she added. "If you were already good [academically], that’s fine, but if you weren’t, or you needed extra support with your behaviour, or mental [health], it wasn’t really provided.
"It’s a double-edged sword - I guess the only reason I did well at school was because I felt the pressure to. There was no excuse to slip up. That’s why the school is always going to look good, because it has good grades, but [it comes] at a big sacrifice”.
Some 342 reports from parents, pupils and staff were gathered to inform the review, relating to a range of schools within the Federation.
A "substantial minority" of pupils and parents were found not to feel safe or happy, or to "believe bullying is handled effectively".
Sir Alan's review touched on issues parents claimed to have come up against when trying to communicate with staff members at the school, particularly to raise concerns.
Outlining his recommendations, he said the "no excuses'" attitude to behaviour should be replaced with "high expectations combined with genuine care, flexibility, and individualisation”.
"Senior leaders must acknowledge their defensive posture has prevented change," he added. "Dismissing concerns as vexatious was wrong and must end”.
Sir Alan added "mandatory reasonable adjustments for SEND" students should be introduced, encouraged governors to become "active interrogators" of data regarding disproportionality of sanctions, and encouraged more transparency regarding the recording and monitoring of sanctions.
"Without transparency, there can be no accountability”, he said.
The review was commissioned after a number of parents' concerns were submitted to Hackney Council in an anonymised dossier in 2024.
Later that year, the website Educating Hackney was set up - also by concerned parents - where further concerns were submitted.
Despite the concerns raised, the report did highlight a number of previous Ofsted inspections of the school between 2016 and 2023, which found it to be 'good' or 'outstanding'.
In a statement, the independent safeguarding children commissioner, Jim Gamble, said: "This report should not be seen as an indictment of our schools and their committed teachers, but rather as a reminder that every educational setting should have the safety, wellbeing and dignity of all children at their core.
"There are lessons in this report for MVPA, the wider Mossbourne Federation, the Department for Education, and indeed for Ofsted.
"If the safeguarding, welfare and inclusion of all children are not at the heart of what we expect of schools, then the foundation upon which academic excellence is built is incomplete ...
"When it comes to the safety and welfare of our children, no individual or institution is above scrutiny".
In a letter to parents and carers dated Monday 8 December and seen by the Citizen, Principal Matthew Toothe wrote: "I personally do not believe you will agree with the review's conclusions because if you do you would not entrust your children to our care on a daily basis; the incredibly dedicated and hardworking staff at the academy would not choose to work here; and the countless external professionals who visit the academy - including senior leaders in Hackney Education, social workers, Young Hackney staff, mental health specialists from wellbeing and mental health in schools, councillors, and senior leaders from other local and national schools - would not have stood by and been complicit in a system which they thought was causing harm to children".
The letter concludes: "I can assure you that all children's best interests are at the heart of everything we do at Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy and, as principal of this academy, I care deeply and passionately about the wellbeing and futures of your children".
In a statement, the Mossbourne Federation said: "We acknowledge receipt of the Local Child Safeguarding Review by Sir Alan Wood CBE, instigated by the City and Hackney Independent Safeguarding Children Commissioner.
"The report is being considered carefully and in detail by The Members Trust, in conjunction with the Board of the multi-academy trust and the Senior Leadership Team.
"While the report acknowledges the strong outcomes the schools achieve for pupils alongside high levels of support from parents and staff, it raises a number of issues which echo those detailed in the Anne Whyte KC Review, published last month.
"The Mossbourne Federation is committed to doing everything in its power to ensure the best outcomes for every child who attends its schools.
"We have already recognised the importance of engaging effectively with parents and are working to implement all the recommendations made by Anne Whyte KC. We will review Sir Alan’s findings and reflect further on them.
"In the meantime, we thank our hardworking staff, pupils and parents for their ongoing commitment, focus and support and reiterate our ongoing commitment to enabling students from all backgrounds to thrive and achieve their full potential".
Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, deputy mayor of Hackney and cabinet member for education, young people and children’s social care, said: "We recognise that the publishing of Sir Alan Wood’s independent Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review this week is a critical moment in addressing concerns raised about children’s experiences at Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy.
"We know that the review and related themes may cause upset for children and young people, their families, staff, and our communities in general.
"We are taking the necessary time to fully consider the report’s findings and how we can further strengthen our support for schools, settings, and partners, ensuring our education offer unequivocally puts the wellbeing of our children and young people first.
"The council remains committed to its long-term vision: a borough where every Hackney child and young person, regardless of background, has the resilience, support, and opportunity to lead a happy, healthy life.
"We are dedicated to finding the balance between high expectations and clear boundaries, while fostering inclusion, empathy, and resilience".
Independent councillor Penny Wrout (Victoria ward) said: "We all want the best for our children, and that includes good academic results, but this report shows that good results for the majority have sometimes come at the cost of the well-being of a significant minority of students.
"That is not acceptable, especially when that minority are often the most vulnerable young people, who may need most support.
"This does not have to come at the cost of ill-discipline - we all realise that an orderly classroom is essential for learning. I agree with Sir Alan when he says, 'The path forward requires the Federation to balance its academic rigour with greater flexibility, compassion, and a governance system that ensures the school's culture is nurturing and safe for every pupil'".
In a statement to the Citizen, Hackney Labour party said it "welcomes the rigour and candour” of the report.
It continued: "We believe in inclusive education and the involvement of all the community, particularly parents, carers, teachers and the children themselves, in choosing how a school operates and develops its policies."
Hackney Green party spokesperson Dylan Law told the Citizen: "This report reiterates what many parents and pupils have experienced. It substantiates claims that Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy used methods of isolation, routine intimidation and public humiliation on those aged 11-16. This report also tells us what we weren’t aware of: the fact that governors were unable to hold the academy to account solely because of their ability to provide good results. ...
"It is our belief that academies within the borough and beyond should be subject to council oversight, thereby making them accountable to the wider public".
Ofsted declined to comment when contacted. The Citizen has contacted Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy for comment.
Note: This article was updated on Wednesday 10 December to include a new quote from the MVPA's principal's letter to parents and carers. It was further updated on Thursday 11 December to include testimony from former pupils and statements from the Labour and Green parties.
