In a complex case involving missed safeguarding opportunities, Rachel McMaster, a former lead safeguarding officer at Holywell Middle School in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, faces scrutiny over her handling of a pupil's sexual abuse report. This issue surfaced after a girl reported being sexually abused by her stepfather in 2017, only to reveal that she had initially disclosed the abuse to someone at the school as early as 2011. The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) investigated the matter, ultimately finding that McMaster failed to take appropriate action to protect the pupil.
The investigation revealed that McMaster, who was responsible for drafting the school's safeguarding policy, acknowledged that there were missed opportunities in protecting the student. She admitted full accountability for her conduct during this period. McMaster has not worked in teaching since 2019 and has spent time reflecting on how she could have handled the situation differently.
"In this situation, the disclosure should have been reported to the police and [the Local authority designated officer], and the pupil kept in school and not allowed to return home. This would have prevented further abuse." – Ms McMaster
During the TRA panel's assessment, it was noted that McMaster's career had been otherwise unblemished, with this incident being termed a "one-off." The panel concluded that McMaster was aware of the pupil's initial disclosure about the abuse to another school staff member in 2011. Unfortunately, the abuse intensified in the weeks following this initial report.
When the abuse was reported in 2017, McMaster was already in a new role with the Chiltern Learning Trust, an organization that manages several schools, though none were part of Holywell Middle School. The TRA's findings focused on her actions—or lack thereof—during her tenure as a safeguarding officer at Holywell Middle School.
