Update 1st July: The moreI learn about this story, the more I think I understand the background to some of the passions aroused. I have been introduced to the world of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham which appears to play a significant role in the affairs of the Roman Catholic Church in and around Sevenoaks, an area with a significant proportion of Anglicans who have converted to Catholicism. Whilst none of this appears relevant to the Special Absence of Mrs Aquilina, the headteacher from St Thomas Catholic Primary School (below), it explains some of the passions that have been aroused by it - now a record 10,000 reads in two weeks. As a result, I have attempted a document looking at some of the Ordinariate issues in more detail here. Relevant comments have been transferred to that page. I do not anticipate that everyone will agree with my analysis.
Nine days ago (14th June), all I knew about St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School in Sevenoaks, was that it had an Outstanding Ofsted Report dating back to 2014, was an averagely performing school in terms of Progress levels, usually had one of the highest proportion of pupils in the county passing the Kent Test (dipping in 2019), and just about filled in most years. I then published an article about the travails of the Kent Catholic Schools Partnership (KCSP) and the ‘unexpected absence’ of its Chief Executive. Leading on from this I was informed about the crisis at the school, a member of the Partnership. The headteacher, Mrs Aquilina, had been placed on Special Leave until the end of the academic year as the Partnership’s ‘Immediate priority as a Trust must be the children and staff of St Thomas’. This is now a major revision of the article I wrote to follow up the Pandora’s Box of outcomes that emerged followed this revelation, including the ‘voluntary absence’ of her husband, Father Aquilina, from his parish.
Between them the two articles have now clocked up over 14,000 visitors in less than a fortnight, an unprecedented number over the 15 years this site has been in existence. The host of comments at the foot amplify a number of the issues. I have reorganised the comments posted after the two articles to the one most appropriate for the content and have indicated where this has happened, although they are no longer in full date order. Items specific to the Partnership are now being transferred to the original article for clarity.
The St Thomas’ story continues below.
If you have safeguarding concerns affecting a child at any school, contact Social Services here.
You will find a copy of the letter to parents of St Thomas from the Chairman of KCSP announcing the absence of Mrs Aquilina, dated today 17th June, here.
I do not consider it appropriate to outline the details of the alleged safeguarding incident that has brought a number of issues to a head, although you will find reference to it in the comments below. I need to make clear that it is not of the common nature of such allegations and has nothing to do with child abuse. However, if the case is as described to me, it would represent a serious breach of both safeguarding legislation and of lockdown requirements and almost certainly lead to disciplinary action. I understand there is also a separate allegation, although I am not clear if this is part of any investigation.
I have seen many letters informing parents of the enforced or unexpected absence of headteachers, but not one before that explains in such clarity that it is because ‘Our immediate priority as a Trust must be the children and staff of St Thomas’. Mrs Aquilina is now ‘on special leave until the end of the academic year’, presumably whilst a disciplinary investigation takes place into the circumstances.
In the meantime, an Acting Headteacher has been brought in to run the school in her absence. He is Mr Chris Wright, currently Executive Principal of: St Gregory's Catholic Primary, Margate; St Joseph's Catholic Primary, Broadstairs; & St Mary's Catholic Primary, Whitstable, all within KCSP. Staff at the school have been told that any approach to them by Mrs Aquilina should be reported immediately to senior staff without exception, confirming the seriousness of the matter.
Although there are some families passionately loyal to the headteacher of St Thomas’, a very significant minority are articulate in concerns about Mrs Aquilina and the involvement of her husband in the affairs of the school, dating back several years.
There was a strong indication of concerns at the school in 2018-19, when 42 parental comments were lodged on the Ofsted Parent View website for that year. This reportedly followed a drive from the school to encourage parents to express a view, as Ofsted might be coming in the near future. In the event, over half of the respondents disagreed with both of the views that 'This school is well led and managed', and that 'This school responds to well to any concerns I raise'. In both cases the majority view is ‘strong disagreement’. In addition, only 52% of respondents 'would recommend this school to another parent'. There were a negligible number of responses in other years which is not at all uncommon, so it looks as if the school scored a big own goal. Over the years I have scanned a large number of such surveys but have never seen anything nearly as negative as this, not even in failing schools. Ofsted last inspected St Thomas' in 2014 under a previous headteacher, before it became an academy, and found the school Outstanding. However, the Parent View data should have meant the school was in line for an urgent inspection, and probably has evaded it because of lockdown.
As a point of information, married Anglican priests who converted to Catholicism have been welcomed into the church since the 1950s. Nine years ago, in a high profile case, Father Aquilina and many of his congregation left their Anglican church at a time when a number of other clergy also converted, often because of their opposition to women and gay priests.
He is now the vicar of the Catholic Parish of St John the Baptist, Westerham, and St Theresa of the Infant Jesus, Biggin Hill, but according to a statement from the Archbishop, posted on the parish website, ‘has voluntarily withdrawn from active ministry. This is part of a process following consultation with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)’. The statement also records that ‘the Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of Southwark take safeguarding seriously’. The Kent LADO is responsible for investigating allegations against staff who work with children but as far as I am aware there is no suggestion of child abuse and this is also likely to be because of a safeguarding issue connected via his wife to St Thomas’ school. He frequently visited the school to teach and carry out duties, rather than the local parish priest from a church less than 300 yards away who might have been a wiser choice if available.
Footnote
It is my opinion that those critical of the leadership of St Thomas' Catholic Primary and Westerham & Biggin Hill parish (although I have not published most of the latter submissions as being irrelevant to education matters) have been generally responsible and restrained. On the other hand, several supporters have been vicious in their condemnation of those with whom they disagree, in a couple of cases naming their victims and describing their sins in some detail, whilst professing to be Christian. I understand they are forming a 'rearguard action group' planning to “get people to write to those in authority to complain about the treatment of the Aquilinas' - presumably by the Archbishop and the KCSP. My advice is to establish the facts and understand the requirements of safeguarding first.
One final random thought. Dr Clare Copeland is Chair of Governors at St Thomas. She presumably knows the relevant rules, as she is married to the Safeguarding Lead at Westerham Parish.
