Staff at outstanding-rated London faculty ‘humiliated and intimidated’ kids to realize success ‘at too excessive a price to pupils’, damning report reveals

Students were subjected to ‘humiliating and intimidating’ behaviour at a high-performing London academy where shouting is ‘routine’, a review has found.

‘Harmful practices’ were identified at Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy (MVPA) in Hackney – owing to its ‘rigid behaviour policy’.

The members trust of The Mossbourne Federation, which the school is a part of, said it was considering the conclusions carefully.

The report was published following a series of allegations from parents and former teachers voiced in the press last year.

They complained the school had caused harm to some pupils’ mental health because of its disciplinary approach.

At the time, the school’s Principal, Matthew Toothe, insisted the claims in the press were the result of a ‘vexatious campaign against the academy’.

The 43-year-old added: ‘I am deeply saddened.’

Despite this, the recent review has described the leadership’s position as ‘defensive’ and the result of the ‘failure of governors to hold them accountable’, allowing ‘harmful practices to persist unchecked’.

It added: ‘In essence, the review finds that MVPA’s success has been achieved at too high a cost for some pupils.

‘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.’

Shouting was found to be ‘routine’ rather than exceptional practice at the academy, according to the review, and used ‘in a manner that humiliates and intimidates pupils’.

Pupils are placed at desks in corridors ‘as punishment for minor infractions’, and a rigid application of the school’s behaviour policy would fail to make reasonable adjustments for pupils with SEND, the review said.

This would lead these students to be ‘punished for behaviours stemming from their conditions’.

Some practitioners consider the school’s approach is ‘exacerbating mental health in some pupils’, it concluded.

MVPA removed all photos of teachers off their website following the first reports of bullying. 

In a statement, Jim Gamble, independent safeguarding children commissioner for City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP), argued the evidence in the report demonstrated MVPA had not achieved a balance between outstanding academic achievement and support for all pupils.

He said: ‘For some children, the school has not been welcoming, flexible, or supportive.’

Data from the report was also said to indicate some ethnic groups of children and children with SEND were being disproportionately impacted by sanctions at the school.

Parents also perceived the complaints procedure at the school as ‘a defensive shield that routinely dismisses serious concerns through poor communication and a culture of intimidation’.

Under Ofsted’s former grading system, MVPA was rated ‘Outstanding’ across all areas.

In 2025, 70.5 per cent of pupils at the school achieved a grade 5 or above in their English and Maths GCSEs, well above the local authority average and the England average.

In 2024, the Observer reported allegations such as children being ‘screamed at’ by senior leaders at the school, and cases where children had soiled themselves after not being allowed to go to the bathroom or being too scared to ask.

Further allegations of practices resulting in emotional harm to children were subsequently reported relating to MVPA and Mossbourne Community Academy, which is run by the same trust and was originally run by former Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said at the time the allegations were ‘deeply distressing’.

Meanwhile Mr Toothe said: ‘Academy leaders are on the academy gate every morning and every evening; there is a weekly parent surgery that can be booked by telephoning our reception; and where necessary we have a robust complaints policy that is available on our website.

‘As a community, we must remain steadfast in our belief in the power of the Mossbourne ethos. I want to thank you for your continued support of the academy, our staff, and most importantly the students.’ 

At a CHSCP meeting in December 2024, it was decided a local child safeguarding practice review should be undertaken.

The review’s conclusions come as the Government has said insisted it wants children to feel valued and supported at school, claiming its approach to SEND reform will create a system ‘rooted in inclusion’.

The members trust of the Mossbourne Federation also commissioned a review by barrister Anne Whyte KC, published last month.

In that instance it found no evidence staff had misunderstood child protection responsibilities or failed in their performance, but made recommendations around complaints and communication with parents the trust accepted.

The members trust of the Mossbourne Federation said: ‘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.’

Mr Toothe had concluded in December: ‘While we acknowledge that we are not perfect, that there are things we can do better and that some parents and carers may find our rules too strict, we pride ourselves on creating an environment that is calm, safe and focused on learning. 

‘It is this environment that ensures our students thrive. To create this environment, we have made no secret of the fact that we are unapologetically strict, we are firm, and we have high standards, and we are all these things because we care deeply about your children. 

‘We reward students when they do well, and they receive sanctions and are reprimanded when they break the rules. This is the culture of our academy.’

He added: ‘We have created a wonderful school at MVPA.’ 

In September another academy in the Mossbourne Federation caused controversy when a furious mother accused her daughter’s school of ‘bullying’.

It came after the 11-year-old was shut in isolation all day because her skirt was deemed too short, despite being the largest possible size.

Hazel Jones said her daughter, Milan, a brand new pupil at Mossbourne Fobbing Academy in Corringham, Essex, was left ‘terrified’ of going back after the punishment was enforced in her first week.

This was despite Ms Jones, who works as an online retailer, reportedly buying the largest possible size for her daughter, who she said is a respectful pupil who ‘always follows the rules’.

She claimed other girls, who had shorter skirts, were let off the hook, while the 11-year-old was shown no mercy. 

The Year 7 student, who is 5ft 6in tall, was only allowed one toilet break all day and forced to eat lunch in silence, according to her mother.

Although the school claimed they tried to phone Ms Jones to inform her, she denied ever being called and said she only found out when Milan came home in tears.

When the mother asked staff to provide the number they tried to call, she claimed she was told: ‘I am not obliged to prove anything to you.’

Speaking to the Daily Mail at the time, the mother-of-two said: ‘My daughter is in fear. I think to myself, is that what I want for my child, as a parent? It’s a military style school.

‘It doesn’t feel like a proper UK school. No one should allow this to happen.’