A leading educationalist has been appointed today to head an inquiry into sexual abuse at a top Northern Ireland preparatory school.
Mr Douglas Osler, former HM Senior Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland, will undertake a statutory inquiry into child protection matters at Cabin Hill Preparatory School on the outskirts of East Belfast.
The inquiry was set up following the conviction of a former pupil at the school near Stormont for sexually abusing a young boarder at the school in 1992.
Mr Osler will examine the child protection measures in place at the time and the extent of the abuse. There has been criticism of how senior staff responded when allegations were first made.
Northern Ireland Education Minister Mr Barry Gardiner said he had appointed a three-member team with a combined knowledge of schools and the education system, child protection procedures and expertise in child protection investigations.
Mr Osler will sit with Mrs Lynne Peyton, former regional director of the NSPCC
[NI] and an assistant director of social services with the Southern Health and
Social Services Board in Northern Ireland and Mr William Calvert, former Principle
of Dalriada School in Ballymoney, Co Antrim.
The Department said anyone who wanted to come forward to the inquiry team with
information about abuse at Cabin Hill should do so by the end of this month.
The team will report its findings to the minister by the end of January 2005 and include any lessons to be learnt which might apply for schools and child protection more widely.
PA