Scottish Child Abuse Findings

Lady Smith has published her findings relating to The Edinburgh Academy following the School’s appearance before the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry in August 2023.

Given all that has emerged about non-recent child abuse at the School over the past four years, we recognise that this report makes for difficult and troubling reading, particularly for those who suffered abuse and whose experiences must remain at the forefront of our thoughts.

The failures in care and protection highlighted in the Inquiry’s report are concerning and describe a time when the safety and wellbeing of children were not afforded the priority and attention they should always have received. We recognise the seriousness of these findings and the importance of responding to the report with openness and honesty.

We remain deeply grateful for the courage of those who have come forward and participated in the Inquiry. Their willingness to share their experiences has ensured that their voices have been heard.

We are also grateful to those within the survivor community who have engaged with us directly, sharing their experiences with such openness and candour. We particularly value their contribution in helping our pupils understand the importance of finding their voice, speaking openly and feeling confident to seek support, and helping to shape important conversations with current and future generations.

Schools should be safe places where young people can flourish, develop lifelong friendships and discover a love of learning. We are sorry that this was not the experience of everyone who attended The Edinburgh Academy, and we again offer our sincere apologies.

We believe it is important that The Edinburgh Academy of today continues to acknowledge and confront the darker chapters of its past, as described by the Inquiry, with compassion and humility. Whilst we cannot change what happened, we recognise that for those affected, the consequences are not confined to the past. We remain committed to learning from the Inquiry’s findings and ensuring that these lessons continue to strengthen our safeguarding culture, child protection practices and the care we provide to every young person entrusted to us.

The full report, including Lady Smith’s findings relating to The Edinburgh Academy, can be accessed directly: Inquiry Findings
 

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Non-Recent Child Abuse Support

Schools should be safe places for everyone and, at various points in our history, this was not the case for too many of our pupils. They were wronged by specific individuals whose roles were to educate, protect and nurture them. For this The Edinburgh Academy unreservedly apologises.

We are fully committed to supporting our former pupils and helping the reporting of non-recent abuse. We recognise that abuse during childhood has wide-ranging consequences for that individual throughout their life. We shall learn from the past to ensure the best safeguarding of all our pupils. Zero tolerance of abuse must be a given in any modern school.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) was established in 2015 to review cases of non-recent abuse of children in care in Scotland. Phase Six of the SCAI focused on children who were in care in Scottish Boarding Schools. As a former boarding school The Edinburgh Academy was notified in 2017 that the school would be part of the investigation. The School appeared at the Inquiry in August 2023, with the Inquiry Findings released in November 2026.

The Edinburgh Academy thanks those members of our community who came forward and assisted the SCAI with its proceedings. This will have been an incredibly difficult undertaking and we applaud their courage in doing so.

If you wish to contact the School about non-recent abuse, please:

Phone: 0131 557 6400 and ask to speak to Samantha Byers, Chief Operating Officer
Email: acciesupport@edinburghacademy.org.uk    

There is an active, well-connected and independent Support Group of former pupils who are willing to listen to, support and provide reassurance to other former pupils who experienced non-recent abuse at The Edinburgh Academy. Contact with this group is completely confidential and the school will not receive any information in this regard.

To contact this group directly, please use the following link:
https://easurvivors.info/ which will put you in touch with Giles Moffatt (EA 1980–1990) in the first instance.

Further details on our Policy can be accessed here: Non-Recent Child Abuse Policy