Leaders of Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy (MVPA) in Hackney have refused to apologise for a disciplinary culture that a safeguarding review found caused vulnerable pupils to develop incontinence issues and menstruate through their uniforms. The review, commissioned by the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership and authored by Sir Alan Wood, examined 342 reports from parents, pupils, and staff detailing a climate of fear, institutionalised shouting, and humiliating practices.
Safeguarding Review Findings
The December 2025 report concluded that MVPA's culture of 'punishment no matter what' was 'particularly harmful' for a significant minority of vulnerable pupils. It called for an end to practices such as isolating children in corridors, known as 'desking', and teachers screaming into pupils' faces. Sir Alan urged the school to distinguish between acceptable voice raising and unacceptable shouting used to humiliate individuals. The report stated: 'Academic excellence that traumatises some pupils is not true excellence.'
Toilet Policy Controversy
A dossier of complaints included five reports that pupils with no prior incontinence issues were soiling themselves or menstruating through their uniforms due to restrictions on toilet breaks. MVPA Principal Matthew Toothe defended the policy, saying the school was 'unwaveringly caring' and that an alternative would fail children who missed learning time. Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Early Intervention Cllr Laura Louise-Fairley said this discriminated against menstruating girls, calling it 'gender discrimination'.
Refusal to Apologise
During a tense meeting with Hackney Council on July 8, senior figures from the Mossbourne Federation, which runs MVPA, argued their behaviour policy was 'fit for purpose' but acknowledged cultural changes were needed. Chair Toby Campbell-Gray refused to apologise, stating: 'We're not going to get into apology politics for lots of reasons.' He implied practices like desking could remain, describing it as 'restorative' for some pupils. CEO Peter Hughes said the code of conduct had been updated to ensure 'no child is belittled or made to feel less than'.
Independent Criticism and Legal Costs
Independent Children's Safeguarding Commissioner Jim Gamble, who oversaw the review, expressed frustration at the leadership's refusal to apologise. He noted that no senior leaders had resigned and questioned the £400,000 the Federation spent on legal fees, including a parallel KC-led inquiry—equivalent to nearly £500 per pupil. Campbell-Gray admitted this may have been a mistake, saying: 'It is what it is.'
Regulatory Concerns
As an academy, MVPA is directly regulated by the Department for Education (DfE), which pulled out of the meeting. Gamble criticised the DfE as 'the so-called regulator' for failing to hold the school to account, stating: 'Leadership sets the tone for the culture, and governance should oversee and challenge when that culture has clearly gone wrong.'
