Questions raised over KC-led ‘independent’ review into Mossbourne schools
Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy. Image: Google
The barrister leading an investigation into the Mossbourne Federation’s complaints and safeguarding procedures has responded to plans to keep its findings out of the public domain, following questions raised by the Citizen.
The Federation, which runs five schools in the borough, recently announced that it would launch the review, which is being led by Anne Whyte, a King’s Counsel.
It follows in the footsteps of a separate, external safeguarding practice review into one of its schools, Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy, prompted by hundreds of complaints made by parents regarding staff behaviour and pupil welfare at this and another of the trust’s secondaries, Mossbourne Community Academy (MCA).
The Citizen asked Whyte for the terms and references of her review, why the report would not be publicly available to read, and whether it was, in fact, ‘internal’ rather than ‘independent’ given she was instructed and apparently funded by the Mossbourne Federation.
In her response to the Citizen’s initial queries, the barrister issued a statement, saying: “The purpose and scope – i.e. the terms of reference of the review – are set out in the letter.”
Whyte was referring to a letter she sent on 13 May 2025 to Mossbourne parents, carers, students and staff.
She added: “The Mossbourne Federation has instructed me to undertake this review.
“I receive my instructions from a ring-fenced sub-committee made up of Daniel Flitterman, Tareic Alphonse, and Shedeh Javadzadeh.
“They have agreed that the contents of any submissions will be kept entirely confidential from the Federation.
“This is because they and I wish to ensure that as many members of the community as possible feel able to articulate any concerns that they may have candidly.
“I have been afforded complete autonomy over the way I investigate the relevant issues and over my findings, to allow for rigorous and constructive feedback.
“The report is intended to assist the Federation in understanding how the complaints processes and safeguarding procedures have been operating in practice and what can be done to improve them.
“It is appropriate that the Federation is permitted the opportunity to reflect on the recommendations and they may choose to make a public comment thereafter.”
While the findings of a number of previous inquiries led by Whyte have been made public, in her letter to Mossbourne parents, the barrister wrote: “I will write a report about my findings and recommendations for the Mossbourne Federation’s trustees to reflect upon.”
She continued: “It is anticipated that my report may also be shared confidentially with the Department for Education (DfE) and the local authority.”
One of the lines of enquiry being pursued by the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review, which is being conducted by the City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP), is to “seek to establish the reasons why there appears to be no confidence in the MVPA complaints process”.
The results of this review will be made public.
Whyte was asked how her probe differs from the CHSPC inquiry, and whether her review was simply a duplication of effort and cost.
The Citizen also asked her what incentive there was for parents and carers to participate, given that they will not be privy to its findings.
A spokesperson from Fieldfisher, the solicitors’ firm which is supporting Whyte’s inquiry, responded: “For now, Anne Whyte KC will not be making any further comments about the review.”
How the review by Anne Whyte KC came about
On 27 December last year, a DfE spokesperson told the Citizen: “The Department for Education has recommended that the trust commissions an independent investigation into Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy led by a King’s Counsel (KC).
“Mossbourne Federation is in the process of instructing a KC and this is due to begin imminently.”
Four and a half months later, Whyte announced that she was leading the review.
In her letter of 13 May 2025, she asked parents, carers, students and staff who had attended or worked at the Mossbourne schools from September 2023 onward to submit evidence for her inquiry by 27 May 2025.
“My role is to look at whether the complaints processes and safeguarding procedures are fit for purpose and whether they should be changed or improved,” she said.
“If I decide that people with a sense of complaint have chosen not to use the academies’ complaints processes, then my role is to understand why that has happened and what can be done to improve the processes for the benefit of everyone.”
Whyte added that a separate sub-committee, and not the Federation itself, would receive her findings.
The sub-committee includes Daniel Flitterman, a former director of the Federation and of CEO Peter Hughes’s company Progress Teaching Ltd; Tareic Alphonse, a governor at Mossbourne Community Academy; and Shedeh Javadzadeh, a trustee of Mossbourne Charitable Trust and a volunteer mentor.
“They are instructing me and I will report my findings to them,” Whyte wrote, before stating that the committee would have no influence over the report’s findings.
Mossbourne Federation was approached for comment but did not respond.
About the sub-committee
Mr Flitterman, son-in-law of the Federation’s trustee Lady Joy Bourne, was previously a director of the Mossbourne Federation for eight years until November 2020, and was also director of trust CEO Peter Hughes’s company, Progress Teaching Ltd, until February last year.
Tareic Alphonse has sat on the governing body of another of the trust’s secondaries, Mossbourne Community Academy (MCA), since 9 January 2022.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Shedeh Javadzade is a board member of Mossbourne Charitable Trust and has volunteered as a students’ mentor at MCA.
About Anne Whyte KC
Whyte has previously led high-profile inquiries, including into British Gymnastics.
She also represented Greater Manchester Police in the public inquiry into the shooting of Anthony Grainger.
Both reports are publicly available to read.