Inquiry into child sexual abuse to examine Wells Cathedral School

A public hearing will examine Wells Cathedral School next week as part of an ongoing inquiry into child sex abuse.

The school is one of nine included in a Residential Schools investigation by The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Public hearings are due to take place between September 30 and  October 11, with the first week focusing on residential schools, including Wells Cathedral School.

A statement from the official inquiry read: "This hearing will examine child sexual abuse in residential music and special schools, as well as institutional responses and safeguarding procedures.

"Children in residential special schools are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse as a result of their isolation from their families and carers, as well as the involvement of staff in their personal care."

Other schools examined in the first week will be Chetham’s School of Music, Yehudi Menuhin School and Purcell School.

Witnesses in this first phase of the investigation include victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in residential schools, teachers and safeguarding experts.

The statement said: "The Inquiry chose to investigate these schools because of the issues arising from their specialist nature, including one-to-one tuition, an intimate atmosphere and an imbalance of power in teacher/pupil relationships."

Residential special schools will be examined in the second week of the hearing, including Appletree School in Cumbria, Southlands School in Hampshire, Stony Dean in Buckinghamshire, Stanbridge Earls in Hampshire and Royal School Manchester.

The Inquiry chose to focus on these schools because it said the children who attend them are among the most vulnerable in our society and the Inquiry seeks to examine if more action is  needed to safeguard them.

The statement said: "On the first day (of the public hearing), a written narrative of child sexual abuse at eight institutions which have since closed will be submitted.

"This document, referred to as the closed schools narrative, includes accounts from 50 victims and survivors and will provide a historical background to child sexual abuse and institutional failures across the school sector."

The hearing will take place between 10am and 4.15pm at the Inquiry’s hearing centre on Pocock Street, London.

However, it was can watched via live stream by clicking here and a full timetable of the first week of the hearing can be found here.

Want more news?   

To subscribe to our daily newsletter, enter your email address into the box at the top of this story.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter .

Find our Bath Facebook page here or Somerset's can be found here .

Alternatively, follow us on Twitter - @BathLive and @SomersetLive .