Chloe Hadjimatheou

No member of staff was admitting anything, and she hadn't been sacked, but it felt like a sort of wink and a nod that the issue had been quietly resolved, for her and for the school. That evening, Philippa tells Gareth about the call with Mr Tinch.

No member of staff was admitting anything, and she hadn't been sacked, but it felt like a sort of wink and a nod that the issue had been quietly resolved, for her and for the school. That evening, Philippa tells Gareth about the call with Mr Tinch.

She'll never teach again.

She'll never teach again.

So hang on a minute, did he confirm it to her?

So hang on a minute, did he confirm it to her?

It's a really big deal, this allegation, that the school was warned that a member of their staff was committing a serious crime, sex with a minor. And instead of referring it to the authorities and launching a proper independent investigation, they quietly just made it all go away.

It's a really big deal, this allegation, that the school was warned that a member of their staff was committing a serious crime, sex with a minor. And instead of referring it to the authorities and launching a proper independent investigation, they quietly just made it all go away.

Any kind of formal process would have entailed the risk that news of this relationship would travel out beyond the walls of the school. And that would not have been good for an institution with such a good reputation. At the beginning of this podcast, I said, this isn't that story. And for the most part, that's true. But it does fit into a broader pattern.

Any kind of formal process would have entailed the risk that news of this relationship would travel out beyond the walls of the school. And that would not have been good for an institution with such a good reputation. At the beginning of this podcast, I said, this isn't that story. And for the most part, that's true. But it does fit into a broader pattern.

We know now that in so many historical cases, in boarding schools, children's homes, the church and other establishments, people did cover up abuse and shield abusers in order to preserve reputations. I need to know what the teachers remember about all this. And at this point I'm trying very hard to reach them. But most are in their 70s and they don't have a big online presence.

We know now that in so many historical cases, in boarding schools, children's homes, the church and other establishments, people did cover up abuse and shield abusers in order to preserve reputations. I need to know what the teachers remember about all this. And at this point I'm trying very hard to reach them. But most are in their 70s and they don't have a big online presence.

So I find myself getting out pen and paper and writing lots of old-fashioned letters and then waiting for a response. I'm not going to get to speak to any of them any time soon. Former pupils are a little easier to track down, but even then, I'm hitting one dead end after another. People just don't reply, and those who do say they'd rather not get involved.

So I find myself getting out pen and paper and writing lots of old-fashioned letters and then waiting for a response. I'm not going to get to speak to any of them any time soon. Former pupils are a little easier to track down, but even then, I'm hitting one dead end after another. People just don't reply, and those who do say they'd rather not get involved.

At some point, I move on from friends of friends to WhatsApp groups where old boys stay in touch. I'm starting to work my way through them, sending messages to one person after another, until it comes to the attention of the administrator.

At some point, I move on from friends of friends to WhatsApp groups where old boys stay in touch. I'm starting to work my way through them, sending messages to one person after another, until it comes to the attention of the administrator.

My friends forward me the voice memo he posts to the group.

My friends forward me the voice memo he posts to the group.

I even managed to get hold of two former pupils who are headmasters today. Neither of them want to be part of this podcast, not even anonymously. The problem is that Gareth was a misfit, an outsider, and he wasn't much liked by many of his classmates. As far as these guys are concerned, Gareth was lucky enough to end up with this teacher that they all fancied, and now he's complaining about it.

I even managed to get hold of two former pupils who are headmasters today. Neither of them want to be part of this podcast, not even anonymously. The problem is that Gareth was a misfit, an outsider, and he wasn't much liked by many of his classmates. As far as these guys are concerned, Gareth was lucky enough to end up with this teacher that they all fancied, and now he's complaining about it.