Many Islington Survivors attended the White Lion Free School and we have heard varied accounts of what that experience was like. The general criteria for getting a place at the school were that children lived within the catchment area – so they were local Islington children. Those of school age were mainly from poor working class backgrounds.For children already received into care following problems at their family home, it was at times difficult to cope with their parents having open access to the school as was the school policy. It opened in 1972 and Peter Newell was the Founder. He had been deputy editor of the Times Educational Supplement. and then became education officer at the National Council of Civil Liberties. Between 1972 and 1986, 261 children attended the school but of these 105 went only to the nursery.
Islington Council funding of White Lion school is listed for the years 1978-9 £7365 and 1979-80 £7850
Archive photos of White Lion Free School Some interesting photographs are available to view on this page of the school.
Islington Gazette 18.07.72
Survivor’s view:
‘In 4 years at this school I never picked up a pen or a pencil. I missed so much basic education.’
‘We were allowed to sniff glue and drink alcohol and smoke as much as we liked’
‘We went on a lot of camping trips in Cornwall and in Wales’
Peter Newell was a founder member of the staff co-operative which ran the school. He was convicted in 2018 and admitted 5 indecent and serious sexual assaults on a child under 16. The offences took place between May 1965 and May 1968. See link: islingtonsurvivors.co.uk/peter-newell/for further information about Newell.
Children’s rights activist Peter Newell jailed for abuse (BBC, 16 February 2018)
Top UNICEF children’s rights campaigner – who led UK’s anti-smacking campaign – is jailed for rape of boy, 13, in latest charity sex scandal (Daily Mail, 16 February 2018)
Children’s rights activist Peter Newell jailed for abuse (Scottish Home Education Forum, 16 February 2018)
Islington Survivors Network 