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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Megan Stammers: Gove was contacted by child protection expert | Megan Stammers: Gove was contacted by child protection expert |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A child protection expert has said she wrote to the education secretary amid "serious concerns" about the school of missing teenager Megan Stammers. | A child protection expert has said she wrote to the education secretary amid "serious concerns" about the school of missing teenager Megan Stammers. |
| Megan, 15, has not been seen since leaving the UK for France last week with maths teacher Jeremy Forrest, 30. | Megan, 15, has not been seen since leaving the UK for France last week with maths teacher Jeremy Forrest, 30. |
| Campaigner Lucy Duckworth said she wrote to Michael Gove about Bishop Bell School months ago, fearing its protection policy was inadequate. | Campaigner Lucy Duckworth said she wrote to Michael Gove about Bishop Bell School months ago, fearing its protection policy was inadequate. |
| Mr Gove's office was not immediately available for comment. | Mr Gove's office was not immediately available for comment. |
| The Eastbourne school said it had a "robust" safeguarding policy in place. | The Eastbourne school said it had a "robust" safeguarding policy in place. |
| 'Extremely hostile' | 'Extremely hostile' |
| Terry Boatwright, executive head teacher at Megan's school, said: "Bishop Bell School... takes safeguarding very seriously and the effectiveness of its safeguarding procedures is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted." | Terry Boatwright, executive head teacher at Megan's school, said: "Bishop Bell School... takes safeguarding very seriously and the effectiveness of its safeguarding procedures is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted." |
| However, Ms Duckworth, from the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said the school was "extremely hostile" when she wrote several times asking to see its child protection policy. | However, Ms Duckworth, from the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said the school was "extremely hostile" when she wrote several times asking to see its child protection policy. |
| She said the school refused to send her a copy, despite it not having a version available online. | She said the school refused to send her a copy, despite it not having a version available online. |
| Ms Duckworth said: "I've written to [the school] and several other officials including... Michael Gove, and Stephen Lloyd MP, several times since February this year and stated their child protection policies have been inadequate throughout this time." | |
| Mr Lloyd, Lib Dem MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon, defended the school. | |
| He said: "I know Bishop Bell well and I'm confident that their procedures have been exemplary." | |
| Grooming pupils | |
| Ms Duckworth's concerns followed a separate incident in 2009, in which a teacher at Bishop Bell was jailed for starting a sexual relationship with two teenage pupils. | |
| PE teacher Robert Healy was jailed for seven years after grooming them on social networking site Bebo. | PE teacher Robert Healy was jailed for seven years after grooming them on social networking site Bebo. |
| Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Sussex Police were made aware of concerns over Megan's relationship with Mr Forrest, an amateur musician from Ringmer, near Lewes, last week. | Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Sussex Police were made aware of concerns over Megan's relationship with Mr Forrest, an amateur musician from Ringmer, near Lewes, last week. |
| The force has released CCTV images of the pair holding hands on a ferry from Dover to Calais at 21:30 BST on Thursday. | The force has released CCTV images of the pair holding hands on a ferry from Dover to Calais at 21:30 BST on Thursday. |
| The search for the pair is ongoing in Europe amid theories they may have moved on from France. | The search for the pair is ongoing in Europe amid theories they may have moved on from France. |
| Ch Insp Jason Tingley, of Sussex Police, said: "Although they entered France, it is possible that they are elsewhere now. | |
| "Therefore our objectives are to identify where they are and for them to contact us, so we can bring Megan home safely." | |
| Interpol, a liaison officer in France and the French Missing Persons Bureau are among the law enforcement agencies working on the case. |