The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission of Hackney Council met on Wednesday 8 July 2026 to discuss the Child Safeguarding Practice Review of Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy. The meeting focused on the implementation of the review's recommendations and the ongoing impact of the school's behaviour policy. Representatives from the Mossbourne Federation, Hackney Education, and the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership provided updates and answered questions from the Commission.

Child Safeguarding Practice Review of Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy

The primary focus of the meeting was the Child Safeguarding Practice Review (CSPR) of Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy (MVPA), commissioned following concerns raised by parents about the school's behaviour policy. The review, led by Sir Alan Wood, found that while MVPA achieves excellent academic results, a significant minority of vulnerable pupils have experienced harm due to a rigid and punitive disciplinary culture.

Jane Gamble, Independent Safeguarding Children Commissioner for City and Hackney, highlighted that despite the school's academic success, the CSPR substantiated concerns regarding practices such as shouting, desking (placing pupils in corridors as a sanction), and a lack of reasonable adjustments for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Gamble expressed disappointment that MVPA had not explicitly acknowledged the review's findings or apologised for the impact on children. She noted that the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP) would continue to scrutinise the implementation of recommendations, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for 14 July.

Representatives from the Mossbourne Federation, including Toby Campbell-Gray (Chair of the Federation Board) and Peter Hughes (CEO), stated they were committed to implementing the review's recommendations. They outlined work being done to improve listening to parents and pupils, enhance understanding of the school's why, and provide assurance through governance reviews. However, some commissioners expressed concern that the Federation's responses were deflective and lacked concrete detail on how changes were being implemented and their impact.

Jason Marantz, Director of Education and Inclusion for Hackney Education, explained the local authority's role in supporting academies, noting that academies are independent of local council control. He confirmed Hackney Education's involvement in the implementation committee and highlighted the LA's work on auditing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), specifically Section F, as recommended by the review.

During the extensive question and answer session, commissioners raised concerns about the disproportionate application of sanctions to Black pupils and those with SEND, the effectiveness of the Behaviour Support Unit (BSU) and Alternative Provision Centre (APC), and the alleged culture of fear within the school. There was significant debate regarding the school's toilet policy, with the Federation asserting that no restrictive policy existed, while parents and some commissioners argued that requiring pupils to make up missed time constituted gender discrimination and was harmful.

Councillor Pascale Frazer-Carroll, Chair of the Commission, noted the difficulty in obtaining direct answers and the apparent differences in opinion regarding what constitutes appropriate and caring behaviour management. She highlighted the accountability gap for academies, particularly with the Department for Education (DfE) not being present at the meeting. The Commission agreed to continue scrutinising this issue and to write to the Secretary of State regarding the accountability of academies.

The Commission also discussed the work programme for the upcoming year, noting that the follow-up on the Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy CSPR would be a key item. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 June 2026 were also noted and agreed.