The headmaster of a boarding school has said that the discouraging of students from reporting abuse was “appalling” and a “disgrace”, as he offered an apology to those affected.

Donald Shaw, of Queen Victoria School (QVS) in Dunblane, which educates children of UK armed forces personnel, was giving evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry today.

He told how he had mistakenly presumed the investigation would be only about adult sexual assaults on children. It was by reading witness statements that he became aware of “significant” potential instances of peer-on-peer abuse during the school’s history.

Mr Shaw said: “Abuse does come in many forms and no matter the form, one case of abuse in a school is one case too many.

Allegations of child abuse in Scottish schools

“I would like to offer my appreciation to anyone who has now come forward.

“It’s an incredibly hard thing to do but it’s also an incredibly brave thing to do.

“I would also like to say sorry, sorry to anyone who has experienced abuse at QVS and their life has been tarnished.”

He went on to offer former pupils an opportunity to visit the school grounds to receive an apology in person and also see how life at the premises currently operates.

The inquiry heard that there were five allegations made about abuse at the school between 1908 and 2014, although there were no criminal convictions.

Mr Shaw said this number does not “accurately reflect the historic peer-on-peer abuse” that may have occurred.

He described a previous culture at the school that “failed to allow” adequate opportunities for youngsters to report such incidents.

He said: “Children were discouraged from reporting abuse, and that’s appalling.

“There was a systemic failure which failed to allow children adequate opportunities to report abuse they were experiencing and also they had to suffer in silence - that’s a disgrace.”

Mr Shaw added that by reading documents he was able to say there may have been “significant peer-on-peer abuse” at some time.

It was heard he had changed some policies at the school to improve the safeguarding of children.

He said that when he was at the school as head of maths in 2007, former pupils were found to be drinking alcohol on the grounds.

This led to the senior management introducing new visiting rules and the site is now alcohol-free.

Mr Shaw, who has been headmaster since 2016, said he is confident in the school’s handling of abuse and wrongdoing.

The first phase of the inquiry looking into boarding schools, which has been taking place at Rosebery House in Edinburgh (pictured), has now concluded.

Phase two, before judge Lady Smith in Edinburgh, is due to begin in May.