The headmaster of one of ‘s most prestigious schools – Cranbrook – has resigned, five days after an TV special was aired about the culture of the private school.
Nicholas Sampson resigned following an ‘irrevocable breakdown of trust’ with the school council, the ABC reported on Friday morning.
Among the revelations aired this week were that a female teacher was the victim of an attempted blackmail attempt by a male student, who demanded she send him nude photos.
The Four Corners report also claimed it had obtained ‘multiple letters and documents from former Cranbrook staff members describing a toxic culture’.
The ABC has since claimed a teacher who had allegedly sent multiple graphic emails to a former female student was kept on staff by Mr Sampson.
Cranbrook headmaster Nicholas Sampson (pictured) has resigned
The teacher, who has not been named, was still working at Cranbrook earlier this week and had even been promoted but as of Friday is understood to be on immediate leave pending an investigation.
In a statement to the school community on Friday morning, the council confirmed that Mr Sampson had offered his resignation.
‘The circumstances of the matter and subsequently Mr Sampson’s failure to disclose the matter to the current School Council in the context of this week’s ABC Four Corners broadcast, have led to an irrevocable breakdown of trust between the Headmaster and the School Council,’ the statement said.
‘The School Council communicated this to Mr Sampson and this morning received his resignation.’
Sydney’s exclusive private all-boys school Cranbrook was put under scrutiny on Monday evening in Four Corners
Former student Travis Mathews last month lodged civil proceedings in the NSW Supreme Court seeking damages more than a decade on from when he alleges he was abused by an older student who remained at the school.
Mr Mathews told Four Corners the older student had allegedly forced him to perform oral sex on ‘a number of occasions’.
Following the release of the program, school council president Mr Lovell sent an email to alumni.
‘Cranbrook takes all allegations of abuse, and its duty of care to its students, extremely seriously and follows relevant and mandatory reporting processes in relation to these matters,’ it read.
‘We acknowledge survivors and their stories.
‘No school is ever exempt from scrutiny or, where deserved, criticism. We offer sympathy to the grievances aired by former staff.
‘Cranbrook does acknowledge that in any large organisation there may be staff disputes from time to time and the Council is confident that the School handles them with care and confidentiality.
‘With regards to Travis Matthews, we are unable to make any comment as this matter is subject to civil proceedings before the NSW Supreme Court.’
READ MORE: Former female teacher at Cranbrook claims she was extorted by student
Jasmin Hyde (pictured), who taught maths at Cranbrook in Sydney’s exclusive Eastern Suburbs, was the subject of an attempt by a student in 2020 to extort naked pictures