Ex-student claims ‘culture of racism’ at Oldham school

The abuse was so bad it has left the former pupil, who does not want to be named, experiencing panic attacks when she sees anyone involved out in public.

It is separate to incidents at the school reported earlier this month, including monkey chants and Nazi salutes towards black and Asian children at the school.

The school’s headteacher has said he is ‘deeply sorry’ for her experiences and that Saddleworth School takes any reports of racism ‘extremely seriously’.

The 17-year-old, who is mixed race, said the incidents started when she was 14, explaining: “At first it was quite shallow comments, like I was getting called a slave daily.

“They were making monkey noises at me.

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“Everyone was like ‘oh, it’s just banter’, but I was like ‘I don’t find this funny’.

She added: “Everyone pushed it as a lighthearted joke, but I felt ignored when I would speak up about it and say I didn’t find it funny.”

Eventually, the teenager became too scared to leave the house because of the bullying, to the point that she started missing school.

This led to her grades suffering, going from predicted nines, eights, and sevens to coming out of school with fours and fives at the end of her GCSEs.

She said: “Now and again I’d come in, but altogether from Year 10 to 11 I had a year off.”

One pupil who was making monkey noises to her began to send her photos of ‘golly’ dolls.

The doll, which was invented in the late 1800s, is widely considered racist and features a caricature based on minstrel blackface depictions of black people.

She said: “He would send me pictures of them and send me videos of monkeys. When I went to report him, because there was no proof of him actually saying ‘this is you’ directly, they couldn’t really do anything about it – well, that’s what they said.

“But it was clearly aimed at me. He would tell me in real life that’s why he was sending them, but not on text.”

The teenager said one of the boys involved was given ‘social exclusion’, meaning he completed lessons alone, but he was still allowed to socialise at break and lunchtime.

Her report eventually went to the school’s headteacher Mike Anderson.

She said: “He said school policy meant they couldn’t do anything about it. It’s almost like they defend the students that are doing wrong. This happens a lot in that school, I can’t really talk for other people, but it does happen a lot.

“I do think there is a culture of racism. I think that is the school’s fault, I know a lot of the staff try their best, I don’t think it’s all the teachers and I don’t think it’s all bad there.

“Not once did I ever sit through a lesson where it was about how to treat people of an ethnic minority and that it’s wrong to say these things. I think it should be taught from a young age.”

Saddleworth School is located in the council ward with the highest proportion of white people in the borough. According to Census data, 97 per cent of people living in Saddleworth North are white, compared to 68.1 per cent across the entire borough.

She reported the incident to the police as well as the school.

The 17-year-old said: “I think they took it a lot more seriously than the school did. The police officer that was assigned to me was from an ethnic background, she made me feel a lot more comfortable. She was really mortified about it.

“It felt like they couldn’t do that much. I think after two years of it, just straight racism, everyone could have done more, including the police and including the school, to be honest.”

The student is now at a sixth form elsewhere in Oldham.

She said: “The difference is amazing. Now I’m there I feel confident and secure in myself. I’ve met so many people who have been through the same thing. They’re nothing but supportive. I feel like now I’m not segregated between people.

“I always felt like I didn’t know who to go. Groups sort of felt segregated in my year. It was the people from an ethnic background and the people from a white background.

“It always felt like that. Being mixed race it was like ‘who do I go to’. Now I don’t have that problem.”

Her mother echoed criticism of the school, adding: “There’s a lack of education. There’s a lack of teachers doing things about it and nipping things in the bud when these things start.

“She was really struggling, she was breaking down, she was forever going to see the support person. I was forever having to pick her up from school.

“To me, if you’ve got a kid that is having a lot of time off school, and there’s obviously an issue going on, why are they not getting to the bottom of it?”

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School headteacher responds

Mr Anderson said: “The experience being described by this student is appalling and I’m deeply saddened to hear how this has affected them.

“No child or young person should experience this sort of behaviour, especially not in a school setting where they should feel safe. When the student reported this behaviour,  action was taken immediately in response.

“Any reports of racism or discriminatory behaviour are always taken incredibly seriously and fully investigated.

“Whilst we are confident that robust action was taken and that we did everything in our power to address the behaviour reported; it’s clear that this student felt like school did not do enough to help and support them and we are deeply sorry for that. 

“At Saddleworth we aim to develop students who understand, respect and celebrate diversity. There is no room for prejudice or discrimination of any kind at our school and any behaviour which falls short of our expectations is dealt with very seriously.”

Oldham Council leader Arooj Shah has said council leadership has met with the Diggle-based school and has said the council takes allegations ‘extremely seriously’.

Cllr Arooj Shah

She said: “I’m horrified and deeply disturbed to hear of the horrendous experiences this student suffered while at Saddleworth School.

“Racism cannot and must not be tolerated in any form. Such behaviour has no place in our society, let alone within our schools.

“The notion that any young person would be subjected to racial discrimination is not only abhorrent but goes against everything we stand for as a diverse and inclusive community.

“Our schools should be safe spaces for learning, growth, and nurturing the potential of every individual – regardless of their ethnicity or background.”

She added: “I want to assure the students, parents, and staff of Saddleworth School, as well as the wider community, that we as a Council take these allegations extremely seriously.

“We have already met with the school leadership, and I personally will be ensuring that every support is given from Council colleagues in tackling this issue promptly and robustly.

“It is vital that, together, we create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to come forward and report racism wherever they experience or witness it.

“Oldham is a diverse and vibrant borough, and our strength lies in our unity. That’s why, together, we must challenge prejudice, promote equality, and foster a culture of inclusivity in which every individual is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”