Teacher at ‘Lord of the Flies’ school in Fitzroy is given interim suspension by the regulator
A teacher at Fitzroy Community School has been suspended on an interim basis, as parents come forward with new claims and regulators act. See the latest here.
In a fresh development in the Fitzroy Community Schools controversy, a leading teacher at the school has been interim suspended by the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
Nicholas Berryman, brother of the school’s principal Tim Berryman and son of the school’s founder Faye Berryman, was suspended on an interim basis on Friday afternoon.
It comes as regulatory action has commenced against the Victorian private primary school following an investigation over serious failures relating to child safety, governance and financial management.
Fitzroy Community School was first reviewed by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) in 2021. Two years later it remained non-compliant and the school’s board was required to formally alert parents about the matter.
In February 2025, the VRQA opened a new review of the school, which is now complete, and regulatory action has started. The school, which receives around $1m a year in public funding,
is also now under investigation by Victoria Police over physical abuse allegations, the Commissioner for Children and Young People and the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
Claims include the use of a “bash-up room” where children would be left alone to physically fight “like something out of Lord of the Flies”.
Issues probed by the VRQA included the lack of child safety training by staff and volunteers, the lack of independence of the board, which contained family members of the principal, and the status of the school’s premises at 595 Brunswick St, North Fitzroy.
A letter written to parents in 2023 notes the “ongoing failure of FCS to structure its governance to enable it to fulfil its legal obligations”.
This included whether “all money and property received by the school or the proprietor of the school for the conduct of the school are applied solely toward the conduct of the school”.
Parents have also alleged:
THEY were told by school leaders that ADHD is not a medical condition and were discouraged from medicating their children;
STUDENTS from the age of eight were allowed to go to the shops unattended during the school day to buy lollies;
THE school did not issue school reports despite minimum standards requiring schools to provide at least two written reports to parents each year;
VOLUNTEERS were not trained in anaphylaxis management;
PRINCIPAL Tim Berryman wrote a 2018 blog post applauding a friend for smacking his child, saying it was “brave” and a “firm, clear response”.
One parent said the school was still relying on paper-based NAPLAN tests. The school has long been praised for its excellent NAPLAN results.
Another said the school encouraged parents to come onto campus and volunteer, without any training or Working with Children Checks.
A newsletter from 2023 notes parents are able to attend the school “at any time on any day”.
Another parent said they were told the school “didn’t ever expel students, but did expel parents” and that the principal said he expected his parenting advice to be followed.
Another parent told the Herald Sun that he witnessed a year 1 boy at the school in 2023 being assaulted by three year 2 boys and said there were never any teachers on duty supervising during lunch.
It is understood that a range of serious issues have been raised with the regulator since that time, and are still under investigation.
These include a range of third-party relationships and transactions involving the family members of the school’s founders Faye Berryman and Philip O’Carroll which were not formally reported
Since 2023, the school has made a number of changes, including updating its board structure to include two new members, although it still includes two Berryman family members and a teacher.
Ms Berryman’s sons Tim and Nick are respectively principal and teacher at the school.
Also under question is whether extended family members are using school properties for personal use and external business purposes which are not formally declared. This raises questions about the school’s charity status and access to government funds.
Also under investigation is the use of parents and minors to take school activities and some language classes.
Financial reports lodged by the school also reveal it was targeted by email scammers in 2023 and lost $130,000. In 2019 the school bought a property from Philip O’Carroll and Faye Berryman for use as a camp which is located at 490 Humevale Rd, Humevale.
The school pays its board members and principal, which include Faye and Tim Berryman, more than $500,000 a year.
The lump sum is reported in the school’s annual statements and there is no breakdown detailing how much each person is paid.
The school was contacted for comment. Tim Berryman said: “FCS is working with the VRQA, as part of the ongoing review, to address the concerns raised. We look forward to resolving these concerns as soon as possible.”
VRQA CEO Stefanie Veal said the “VRQA has completed its review of Fitzroy Community School and has now initiated a regulatory process”.
“It would be inappropriate to further comment at this time.”
“All Victorian schools must meet the minimum standards and keep children safe.”
Martin Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Institute of Teaching, said: “To protect the integrity of any investigations that may be underway, VIT is unable to comment on individual matters.We encourage anybody with information or concerns in relation to teacher behaviour to contact VIT.”
Anyone with concerns about Fitzroy Community School’s compliance with the minimum standards including the Child Safe Standards can contact the VRQA via email at vrqa@education.vic.gov.au or call 9637 2806.
