0370 270 6000

Search

Search Mobile

collapse

already registered?

Please sign in with your existing account details.

Email address

Password

Sign in with LinkedIn

need to register?

Register to access exclusive content, sign up to receive our updates and personalise your experience on brownejacobson.com.

Privacy statement - Terms and conditions

Register with LinkedIn

Forgotten your password?

collapseSign

Browne Jacobson home

Home

Insights

Blogs

Schools delay of hammer attack inquiry was unacceptable, say the courts - what knock on effect will this have?

schools delay of hammer attack inquiry was unacceptable, say the courts - what knock on effect will this have?

23 October 2009

Insurers advised the Ridgeway School in Wroughton against co-operating with Swindon Local Safeguarding Children Board in carrying out a serious case review into the attack on student Henry Webster in 2007. Their reasoning? They thought it would effect their liability.

The judge said the purpose of statutory case reviews was to learn serious lessons to prevent similar incidents - the review was eventually completed but some months after the attack and was found to be unsatisfactory. The judge has today ordered it be carried out again.

Schools have to weigh up their obligations to both insurers and the safeguarding board because they must balance any potential liability in a negligence claim against their pervasive safeguarding obligations. It begs the question, how should schools react when their insurers start 'advising' how and when investigations should be carried out?

related opinions

Government guidance on Covid-19 for Higher Education (HE) institutions

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on new measures to tackle Coronavirus, and with students about to start new terms, the government has updated its guidance to universities to make their buildings and campuses as safe as possible.

Government announces ten-year programme of school rebuilding

Ambitious funding plans, announced recently by the Prime Minister, have made clear that spending on school buildings is seen as a key element of efforts to stimulate the economy post-COVID.

Members of academy trusts have fiduciary duties

We are increasingly asked are there any limits on how members can exercise their powers.

Levelling Up – What now for education policy?

Following the Conservatives’ election victory in December the new government will be able to implement their election manifesto in full.

View all blogs

Mark Blois

Partner and Head of Education

mailing list sign up

Select which mailings you would like to receive from us.

Sign up