London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 31, 2026

Highgate School pupils hold walkout after claims of 'rape culture'

Highgate School pupils hold walkout after claims of 'rape culture'

Pupils at a north London private school walked out of classes following claims the school had a "rape culture".

A dossier with more than 200 testimonies by former and current Highgate School pupils was sent to governors and published online.

The document includes first-hand accounts of alleged abuse as well as claims rape was "tolerated" by staff.

The school said it "fully supports" the pupils' action and has launched an external review into the allegations.

The anonymous testimonies made in the document were written by pupils in response to the question: "What is your experience of rape culture at Highgate School?".

Many include claims of abuse in classrooms or off the property, with one describing how they were raped by one boy, sexually assaulted by two others "and sexually harassed by too many to keep count".

The school said the pupils taking part had their full support

Staff are also criticised for not investigating claims and failing to care for those who approached them with allegations.

"The way the school has behaved has resulted in a space where rape is rife and also totally tolerated.

"I would go so far as to say rape at Highgate School is normal," one account states.

According to the school, the walkout took place at lunchtime and involved girls and boys from years 11, 12 and 13 who wanted to show "solidarity with survivors of sexual abuse and harassment".

In a statement, the school's governing body said they were "deeply shocked and horrified by the allegations that have recently come to light" and apologised "to any victim of sexual harassment or abuse who was not properly supported".

"The governing body has commissioned an immediate external review of the allegations led by a team of professionals with expertise in this field."

They added that they "fully support and commend the actions of our pupils today".

Numerous other schools and universities have faced similar allegations in recent weeks as a part of an online campaign where users post anonymous testimonies of sexual assault and harassment they had experienced.

More than 5,600 accounts feature on the Everyone's Invited site and founder Soma Sara previously told the BBC they "expose rape culture and the scale of sexual violence amongst young people in the UK".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Andy Burnham has Announces Plans to Redistribute Income Tax Revenue to English Mayors
Early-Release Scheme Faces Fresh Scrutiny as Reoffending and Prison Recalls Rise
Police Phone Checks Followed Report on Murder of MI5 Agent Inside Sinn Féin
Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 Million Reparative Justice Fund During Ghana Visit
Charities Allege French Police Used Tear Gas Against Channel Migrants
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Iran-Linked Murder Plot in Britain
Christian Organisations File Charity Complaints Against Amnesty International UK
Ofgem Tightens Grid Connection Rules for New Data Centres
FTSE 100 Reaches Record High Despite Global Technology Sell-Off
Millions of UK Households Urged to Check Eligibility for Winter Energy Discount
Labour Restores Parliamentary Whips to Diane Abbott and Joani Reid
UK Supreme Court to Hear Challenge Over Palestine Action Ban
UK Commits More Than £8.4 Billion to Dreadnought Nuclear Submarine Programme
England Declares Severe Drought as Wildfire Burns Near Sizewell Nuclear Site
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Tensions Fuel Inflation Risks
Drought Status Extended Across All of Wales as Heat and Dry Weather Deepen Environmental Strain
Record-Low Danube Exposes Probable Mammoth Remains in Bulgaria
UK Business Confidence Climbs to Four-Month High
Greater Manchester Gains Expanded Powers Under Regional Funding Reforms
UK Supreme Court to Hear Appeal Over Palestine Action Terror Ban
Shell's Quarterly Profit Doubles to Nearly $10 Billion on Higher Energy Prices
UK Government Removes VAT From Household Electricity Bills
Exceptional Drought Grips Half of England as Wildfire Threatens Sizewell
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Risks Persist
US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces
The chief executive of the popular gaming company laid off many employees and his pay rose to 38 million dollars
UK Employment Holds Steady as Wage Growth Remains Moderate
England to Introduce Artificial Intelligence into Secondary School Curriculum
Wales Launches £1.2 Billion Industrial Regeneration Programme
High Court Upholds UK Digital Surveillance Framework
Northern Ireland Reaches Budget Agreement on Infrastructure and Public Sector Pay
Home Office Expands Digital Border Checks Nationwide
UK Approves Major North Sea Wind and Carbon Capture Project
The World's Most Terrifying Smartphone: Recording, Documenting, and Reporting to the Regime
Scotland Approves Major Renewable Energy Expansion
UK and United States Sign AI and Semiconductor Cooperation Pact
UK Treasury Tightens Fiscal Controls After Gilt Market Volatility
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 4.5%
UK Unveils £10 Billion NHS Funding Overhaul and Workforce Reform
The AI User Nightmare: Private Claude Conversations Leaked to the Internet
UK: Former Football Association Leaders Call for World Cup Boycott Over FIFA Privatization Plan
Forbidden Love: China severs millions from their virtual partners
Over 24 Hours in the Air: Qantas Airbus Completes Record-Breaking Test Flight
Prince Harry Faces Significant Legal Costs After Insurance Shortfall
FirstGroup Sells Rail Software Business to Tracsis for £48 Million
Victoria and Albert Museum Staff Vote for Strike Action
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Contract Killing Plot in Britain
Royal Mail Raises Bulk Mailing Prices by 30%
Immigration Remains Britain's Top Public Concern, Ipsos Survey Finds
Prime Minister Says Social Care Reform Must Precede Assisted Dying Legislation
×