Anne Whyte KC of QEB Hollis Whiteman was instructed by Fieldfisher to undertake an independent review into governance and institutional culture at four academy schools in Hackney run by the Mossbourne Federation.
The review was proposed by the Department for Education and formed part of the Federation’s internal response to publicised concerns about behaviour management, safeguarding and pupil welfare at the school. Anne Whyte KC examined the policies operated by the Federation within its Hackney schools and explored complaints handling and the operation of disciplinary systems.
Anne’s report was published in November and contained a series of recommendations designed to improve the schools’ engagement and communications with the parent community and increase confidence in complaints handling. The Federation has accepted all of Anne’s conclusions and recommendations.
This review was timely and came shortly before a separate investigation commissioned by Hackney’s Independent Safeguarding Children Partnership which was led by Sir Alan Wood. The subsequent safeguarding report noted that a number of its findings echoed the issues identified within the Anne Whyte KC review.
The full report can be accessed here.
The review has been featured in National Press:
Anne Whyte KC