MP criticises 'arbitrary and inappropriate' punishment at school
Northampton MP has spoken out against allegations of violence at an independent school and criticised its "arbitrary and inappropriate" punishments.
Sally Keeble, Labour MP for Northampton North, blamed a Government loophole for preventing action being taken at St Peter's independent school in Blackthorn, and called for greater parity between private and state schools.
In a House of Commons debate yesterday, Mrs Keeble said: "The aim of this debate is to call on the Government to give children in private schools the same level and type of protection as children in state schools, to ask the Government to close a loophole that leaves directors of children's services unable to intervene in independent schools.
"There have to be real questions about why Ofsted was so lax in finding the difficulties at the school and also needing so much persuasion to undertake the kind of investigation that was needed to get an action plan in place to resolve the problems."
A Charity Commission report published earlier this year investigated complaints of physical violence towards pupils and found the trustees of the school had not "adequately managed the risks arising from the allegations and complaints."
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