INSPECTORS say pupils are not safe at Cademuir International School in Dumfries and Galloway, although the school’s public relations puff trumpets “outstanding pastoral care” in a “happy and secure environment”.
Last autumn inspectors issued one of the most condemnatory reports ever and after returning four months later conclude that the 70-pupil independent school has failed to address their concerns. Most pupils come from mainland Europe, mainly Germany.
The school is now fighting for its survival after Gill Robinson, chief inspector, sent the report’s findings to ministers and the Registrar of Independent Schools. Cathy Jamieson, Education Minister, is considering action.
The school has recently advertised for a new principal after the decision of Robert Mulvey, its principal and founder, to retire in the summer. Mr Mulvey was heavily criticised in the first report and was deemed an “unsatisfactory” leader.
In its advertisement, Cademuir maintains it has “earned an excellent reputation for assisting able learners (many with special needs such as dyslexia, ADD and Asperger’s syndrome)”.
After making a follow-up visit at the end of January, HMI takes a different view and stresses that the response to its concerns was “not rigorous or comprehensive”.
The report adds: “Inspectors therefore have serious concerns about the school’s capacity to provide a safe and secure environment for its pupils.”
They list a string of failures, including the openness of the building to strangers, catches missing on windows and inadequate monitoring of pupils outwith school hours. Vandalism was continuing to affect the residence and the minibus.
But the school had taken steps to improve its ethos. “Pupils had been given some opportunities to discuss sanctions. The school reported that the use of school assemblies for public reprimands had stopped,” the inspectors state.
They will return by October if there is no ministerial action in the meantime.
