Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Former pupils of St James & St Vedast Independent Schools voice abuse complaints after 20 years of silence.

Former pupils of the St James and St Vedast Independent Schools finally find the courage to voice complaints of abuse and mistreatment after 20 years.

Pupils of the schools, which include; Vedast Independent School For Boys, St Vedast Independent School For Girls, St James's Independent School For Boys, St James's Independent School For Girls; have finally, using the power of the internet, found the strength to voice complaints of abuse, mistreatment and a general atmosphere of terror that persisted at the schools well into the late 80's. The schools have subsequently merged and now exist as St James Independent Schools, now based in Twickenham.

The current headteacher of St James, Mr David Boddy, is concerned that the revelations may harm the current schools' reputation and has proposed an inquiry into past events. One of the main concerns of former pupils is that several alleged abusers still teach at the current school.

Parents of pupils currently attending the school are also raising concerns via the web forum over the schools' links with the School of Economic Science (also known as the SES) which has open, though not particularly well publicised (if parents' reactions are anything to go by), links with the current St James Independent School and also with other schools in the UK and abroad:

The Alcuin School, Leeds
John Scottus School in Dublin
Abraham Lincoln School, New York
John Colet School, Sydney
Erasmus School, Melbourne
Ficino School, Auckland

The SES has more than 40 branches throughout the UK and over 15 countries throughout the world, run from it's impressive headquarters in Mandeville Place, London. The School runs courses open to the public who are interested in learning more about it's founders' ideas on Economics and Philosophy.

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