Confidential Falcons School Files Allegedly Dumped on Street

Parents say documents include educational psychologists' reports

Piles of books and other documents outside the former Falcons School

May 12, 2024

Parents at the recently closed Falcons School in Chiswick are alleging that highly sensitive material has been dumped outside by contractors clearing the site.

On Wednesday 8 May Tower Waste removed thousands of items from the school leaving books and documents outside to be loaded into skips.

The parents are alleging that, along with the books and play equipment, there was material in the piles containing sensitive, personal and confidential information relating to children that attended the school including personal pupil assessments and education psychologist reports. They claim these reports included the names, addresses and personal details of children. Members of the public were pictured looking through the documents during the period of clearance whilst it is assumed the documents will be sent to landfill.

The parents have sent a formal complaint to the Information Commissioner this Thursday (9 May) and issued the following statement, “This is truly shocking and shows how little Alpha Plus/Inspired Education care about the children that attended this school and their other schools. These documents are highly sensitive containing the personal details including names, addresses and case notes relating to children. There is absolutely no way that they should be treated in this way. We have asked the Information Commissioner to undertake an urgent investigation.

“It is also outrageous that thousands of books, play and school equipment worth tens of thousands of pounds that could have been donated to other schools have simply been sent to landfill. With many local schools crying out for resources, this is an outrageous and shameful waste.

“Alpha Plus/Inspired Education all along have put profit before children, they are the very worst example of corporate greed and shame the entire independent school sector and these actions merely confirm that.”

There is also anger that books were not donated to other schools and charities

The school confirmed last October that it was to close at the end of the year leading to an ongoing legal challenge by a group of parents who were first told of the plans in September. The owners were the Alpha Plus Group which also includes Wetherby, the prep school attended by Princes William and Harry.

At the time of the closure the company was being taken over by US-based group Inspired Education. It was claimed that the ‘difficult decision’ to close was made due to falling numbers with just over a third of the 180 places taken when the announcement was made.

Tower Waste was contracted by Alpha Plus to clear the building

Places were offered to the remaining children at other schools in the group but, in many cases, these were declined because of the distance to travel. Many of the parents believe the school roll was deliberately allowed to reduce to justify closing the school and realising the value of the property.

Jorge Edwards, Director of Tower Waste, questioned why there would be confidential documents among the books and classwork his firm was asked to clear from the school.