Head and LEA both criticised

10:35am Tuesday 19th April 2005

STORIES that Dr Challoner's Grammar School history teacher Richard Small was gay abounded in the staffroom in the 1980s.

But it was not until Mary Brett, who now teaches pupils about drugs but in 1987 was a junior biology teacher, heard accusations from her daughter that he was abusing boys at the school in Amersham, that headteacher John Loarridge became directly involved.

Barrister Alex Ruck Keene describes Mrs Brett as the prime mover.

"It would be wrong of me not to record the significance of her role and the efforts she made to bring matters to a head," he says There followed a difficult time for Mr Loarridge, which is acknowleged in the report.

The climate of opinion about sex abuse was different and headteachers were in a much more difficult situation than they are today, the report says.

But there were rules in place in 1987 and Mr Loarridge should have reported his fears to the county council then rather than leaving that until 1991.

Mr Ruck Keene said: "I am drawn to conclude that Mr Loarridge's failure to consult with the council represented a very rare but unfortunate lapse of judgment."

Instead Mr Loarridge persuaded Mr Small to resign and told the county and governors this was because he wanted to go into politics. The letter to the governors from the head said he had served the school well as a history teacher.

Mr Loarridge told Mr Ruck Keene that he did not think a court case would have succeeded and Mr Ruck Keene said he tended to agree.

In February 1991 Mr Loarridge wrote to Keith Robinson, the deputy chief education officer, saying Mr Small's name had been linked to a suspected homosexual boy who would have been crucified in court if it had come to trial. He sent the letter as a precaution, not to trigger action. It was acknowleged but nothing seems to have been done.

Mr Ruck Keene said the letter, if sent earlier, would have set alarm bells ringing but by 1991 Dr Robinson was in difficult position because Mr Small was no longer employed by the council. Instead Dr Robinson marked Mr Small's personal file.

The council here is criticised because the file has disappeared when it should have been flagged up as important and kept until Mr Small reached retirement age.

When Mr Small was jailed earlier this year the Free Press received calls from people saying they had been abused and the council's head of legal services advised them to contact her.

Mr Ruck Keene says police investigations are still ongoing and allegations should be looked into by social services.

The report says

Mr Loarridge:
Should have told the county council in 1987 the true reason for Mr Small's resignation, which was child abuse allegations, not the desire to go into politics

Should have consulted the council about Mr Small's resignation

Should have sent the warning letter about Mr Small to County Hall four years earlier and not when the head retired

Acted in what he believed were the pupils' best interest

Should not, in order to get Mr Small to resign, have told him there was a family who were prepared to go to court.

Was not guilty of appointing Mr Small without proper references

Was not guilty of appointing Mr Small without proper references

Buckinghamshire County Council:
Failed to ensure that headteachers were properly trained in the county's child abuse policy of 1986

Should have safeguarded Mr Small's personal file