Ampleforth head steps down

The head of Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire has stepped down following medical advice.

Peter Roberts was appointed in January 2023 as Ampleforth tried to move on from various abuse scandals which have plagued the school for many years. On his appointment, he vowed “to ensure best safeguarding practice and the excellent pastoral care of every pupil”.

Announcing the departure, chair of governors Edward Sparrow hailed Peter Roberts as “one of the outstanding independent school heads of his generation”.

In November 2020, Ampleforth was told by then Education Secretary Sir Gavin Williamson to stop admitting new pupils because of “serious failings” and safeguarding concerns.  

The DfE order was lifted in April 2021 after two interim inspections noted progress.

Ampleforth continued to improve under Peter Roberts’ leadership and was given a “good” rating by Ofsted in September 2023.

Edward Sparrow said: “In his two years with us, he has built confidence, increased numbers, and made excellent progress on our mission to re-establish the college as the leading Catholic boarding school in Europe.”

Peter Roberts, left and Jon Mutton. Credit: Ampleforth.

Peter Roberts promised not to pass on VAT to parents in January 2024 – the first UK school leader to do so. He later modified his pledge after Labour won the election and said he would “have no choice but to add it to the bills if imposed”.

In a report in July, the Charity Commission found there had been “significant weaknesses” and historic failures in safeguarding at Ampleforth College and Abbey prior to the tenure of Peter Roberts.

The commission stated that, in February 2018, a registered sex offender had stayed overnight in the abbey. Another safeguarding incident concerned the conduct of a monk who was living at the abbey and had exposed Ampleforth pupils to “risk” for more than nine months.

Roberts will be succeeded by Jon Mutton, the current deputy head of pastoral and wellbeing, who has been at Ampleforth since 2011. Announcing the appointment, Sparrow pointed to Jon Mutton’s experience and leadership qualities.

He said: “We are lucky to have, in Jon Mutton, an extremely talented and popular successor who has fulfilled many senior leadership roles in his thirteen years at the college and who will build on Peter Roberts’ strategic vision, providing continuity and stability of leadership in the years to come.”

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