Former Cranbrook headmaster statement made without ‘knowledge or agreement’ of school

Cranbrook says it wasn’t aware its former headmaster would announce a settlement with the school and declare his ‘vindication’.

Cranbrook’s former headmaster Nicholas Sampson. Picture: Supplied

Cranbrook School says it was not aware that former headmaster Nicholas Sampson would announce he had reached a settlement with the school and declare his “vindication”.

At an AGM of the prestigious Sydney school on Tuesday evening, school president Geoff Lovell said Mr Sampson made a public statement earlier that day “without our prior knowledge or agreement”.

The terms of that settlement were “confidential”, he said, but is speculated to be valued between $1m and $3m.

Mr Sampson had initiated legal proceedings against his former employer following his resignation from his post, which in turn came after allegations that a senior school teacher sent graphic emails to a former female student of another school as well as a report by the ABC which alleged a history of abuse, bullying, and mistreatment of staff and students at the school.

Cranbrook was also forced to “clarify” public comments it made that he had failed to disclose ­allegations of historic misconduct of a senior school teacher.

Mr Lovell said the “unsettling challenges” had “significantly diverted” the work of school management.

“These events led to the resignation of Nicholas Sampson as headmaster in March and earlier today the school issued an agreed statement to the school community in which we said that, further to Mr Sampson’s resignation in March, the school council has now finalised arrangements for the conclusion of Mr Sampson’s employment, which has now taken effect and the terms of these arrangements are confidential,” Mr Lovell told the Tuesday evening AGM.

“We also thanked Mr Sampson for his service. And we outlined some of the important milestones achieved by Cranbrook during his 12-year tenure as the headmaster.

“In that statement, we also issued a one-word clarification to the single public statement made by me verbally outside the school gates in front of TV cameras on the 8th of March to bring that statement … into line with a written statement that the school council had issued earlier that day, which we stand by still.

“Mr Sampson also made his own public statement today, which has been reported in the media. And that statement was made without our prior knowledge or agreement.”

Mr Lovell said the school had engaged an executive search firm to seek a new permanent head of school.

A statement from a spokesperson for Mr Sampson said “it was not known what was said or not said at the AGM as Mr Sampson was not present”.

“Mr Sampson did not need the approval of anyone to issue his own statement. The Council’s statement and Mr Sampson’s statement speak for themselves.”

Mr Sampson said on Tuesday he had lodged a “detailed complaint” with the ABC Ombudsman about the March 4 Four Corners program by reporter Louise Milligan, which the former principal claimed was “wildly ­inaccurate” and “lacking in im­partiality”.

“I am determined to pursue that complaint to its conclusion,” he said in the statement.

The ABC would not comment on the complaint.