An independent school for children with special educational needs has been exposed by BBC Panorama for allowing staff to manhandle pupils into dangerous headlocks while using offensive language to mock them for their disabilities. An undercover reporter was employed by the broadcaster for almost seven weeks at Life Wirral in Wallasey, during which they witnessed a senior staff member saying he wanted to drown a child in a bath “like a kitten”. The CEO of the school, Alastair Saverimutto, condemned the behaviour exposed during the programme and confirmed that five members of staff had been suspended.
The school, which has places for secondary school age pupils, has charged between £50,000 and £150,000 per year depending on individual support needed. Despite whistle-blower reports to the council highlighting issues, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council paid nearly £1m last year to the school. The whistleblowers also revealed that abuse was ongoing at the school 12 months after the council had been warned.
During the programme, the undercover reporter observed a mental wellbeing coach describing the school as “full of retards” and making derogatory comments to a student with dyspraxia, including calling the student the pejorative term “flid”. Homophobic and sexist language was also prevalent, with staff using these terms to describe children. One staff member drew what another child close by identified as a penis on a pupil’s face.
Former director of the Council for Disabled Children, Dame Christine Lenehan, described the school as “fundamentally unsafe”, with “no respect for the young people”. Panorama attended the school to gain insight into the treatment of pupils, who are required by law to have an EHCP document outlining their specific needs and provision. Despite background checks being carried out, independent special schools like Life Wirral are neither required to employ qualified teachers nor have direct experience of the special educational needs sector.
Following the broadcast of the programme, Wirral Council suspended all placements at the school. Merseyside Police has been alerted, and the Department for Education has confirmed that “all pupils have now been removed from the school” and that it is in contact with the council to provide alternative education options. The council has pledged to investigate and the Department for Education has confirmed that enforcement action, including permanent closure, will be sought if the school attempts to reopen.
Warning: This report contains offensive language
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