Newhaven College probed by schools regulator after staffer charged with child sex offences
A Phillip Island private school is under investigation over its handling of a senior teacher charged with child sex offences. It comes after head of music Kirk Skinner was accused of indecent acts with a student on school grounds.
Education
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The schools regulator is investigating a private Phillip Island campus over whether it breached child safety standards in its handling of a teacher charged with child sex offences.
Newhaven College will be subject to a review as its head of music Kirk Skinner has been charged with two counts of an indecent act with a student on campus grounds.
The 59-year-old staffer — who is not a registered teacher — faces a charge of intentionally sexually touching a child under 16, and of causing the child to intentionally sexually touch themselves.
The Herald Sun understands a member of the school community lodged complaints with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority and the teaching watchdog, the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), in December last year.
A Department of Education spokeswoman confirmed the investigation.
“The VRQA has commenced a review of Newhaven College’s compliance with Ministerial Order No. 870 – Child Safe Standards — Managing the risk of child abuse in schools,” she said.
“The safety of students is always our highest priority.
“The Victorian Government introduced significant reforms as a result of the Betrayal of Trust report.
“These include the child safe standards, which require all Victorian schools to implement policies and procedures to ensure child safe environments, manage the risk of child abuse and respond to allegations of child abuse.”
Principal Gea Lovell wrote to parents and guardians on February 21, after the charges against Mr Skinner were revealed.
“At Newhaven College we take the wellbeing of all our students seriously, and carefully follow and adhere to the Child Safe Policies which are in place,” she wrote.
“The wellbeing of all our students is of utmost importance, which is demonstrated through our implementation of the Victorian Child Safe Standards.”
She confirmed the school board would hire an independent firm to investigate the allegations and review the school’s implementation of procedures, policies and governance.
Mr Skinner has faced the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court, with the matter adjourned to May 14.
Mrs Lovell did not respond to inquiries regarding the review.
Newhaven College is the second Victorian private school in less than a fortnight to be confirmed as being under investigation by the schools regulator over allegations of breaching standards in managing child abuse risks.
St Kevin’s College is also under review following scrutiny of three of its leaders, who provided convicted child offender Peter Kehoe with court character references, and are alleged to have mishandled a complaint over teacher misconduct towards a student.
PHILLIP ISLAND SCHOOL STAFFER CHARGED