Independent review into Cranbrook allegations expected as school council meets

As the school council met to find a ‘way forward’, parents demand independent investigators speak with all current and recent former female staff.

Cranbrook headmaster Nicholas Sampson spectacularly resigned on Friday, as the school’s council deals with the fallout.

Elite Sydney school Cranbrook is expected to announce an independent review into various allegations made by staff and students at the school, as the council met on Sunday night to determine a ‘way forward’.

Long-serving headmaster Nicholas Sampson resigned from his position on Friday following fresh allegations about a teacher at the prestigious eastern suburbs school, with the council telling parents Mr Sampson’s failure to “disclose the matter” led to an “irrevocable breakdown of trust between the headmaster and the school council”.

It is also likely the council will announce an independent review into the culture of the school, The Australian understands, after allegations were made by female employees about the toxic culture.

Nicholas Sampson.

It comes as current and former parents of the prestigious institution, who wanted to remain anonymous, told The Australian that Cranbrook must direct independent investigators to speak with all current and recent former female staff members.

“Ask these women what you need to do about (the culture) and they will tell you,” one parent said.

“Mr Sampson himself was not the person alleged to have been bullying staff, his personal conduct is not in question, it was about how he failed to respond to very serious issues. It’s others who are the perpetrators. My fear is that some of those perpetrators continue to be in very senior roles at that school. Will it be swept under the carpet again or will it be dealt with?” another parent said.

The council meeting, which was due to take place on Sunday night, was expected to go for a number of hours. It followed extensive and ongoing crisis talks throughout the weekend, led by strategic communications advisory GRACosway.

Cranbrook School Council President Geoff Lovell.

The council, headed by Ability First Australia director Geoff Lovell, will determine what measures the school will implement going forward, which will be announced to the school community on Monday or Tuesday.

The note to parents on Friday also mentioned an ABC Four Corners ­episode, broadcast on Monday, highlighting a history of abuse, bullying and mistreatment of staff and students at the school.

The new allegations, which set-off Mr Sampson’s resignation, relate to his nondisclosure of a male Cranbrook teacher allegedly sending numerous sexually-explicit emails to an ex-female student in 2014 at a Catholic girls’ school. She was an adult at the time, and the emails involved lewd comments about threesomes with and the appearances of other former students.

Michele Marquet, the head of Cranbrook’s junior school, was appointed acting head of school in the wake of Sampson’s resignation.

The veteran teacher is much-respected by parents, described as a “very good educator”, a “kind and compassionate individual” and a “safe pair of hands” in this transition. One parent said the junior school, which she had led since 2017, was the “best part of Cranbrook”.

Michele Marquet, acting head of school at Cranbrook.

“I’ve always found her to be very good at dealing with difficult issues, and very passionate about the students,” they said.

All eyes are now on Ms Marquet and how she deals with allegations made against those in the senior leadership team.

“I admire her for stepping up at this particularly difficult time. I’m not sure if she will be willing to make difficult decisions … In my experience when you have a rotten culture, you need to change the people. It’s not enough to change the leader,” one parent said.

There is no indication yet who the other potential candidates for headmaster might be, with an international recruitment process expected to be undertaken.