Call 020 7692 5675 Mon-Fri 8am-7pm

For immediate support email [email protected] 24/7

Case Study

Former member of staff at independent preparatory school convicted of serious sexual offences

How we helped an independent preparatory school manage communications with parents and the media amongst significant legal restrictions.

The Problem

A former member of staff who had recently left this school was convicted of extremely serious sexual offences committed over several years. Legal restrictions and the school’s duties of care to numerous individuals, meant the management team at this particularly close-knit school were very constrained in what it could say – even when news of the conviction was published in the local media.

The Solution

Alder and the school’s legal team prepared a reactive strategy for dealing with the former teacher’s appearance in court. The Head and a governor were coached in how to field questions from parents, and a range of scenario-based lines to take were prepared and rehearsed. Real-time advice was also provided on dealing with the police team investigating the offences.

The Result

The teacher was given a lengthy jail sentence. Further advice was given following a number of parental contacts, and the situation was satisfactorily contained.