'No secrets': Alternative school's history of discipline in spotlight
Fitzroy Community School, an inner Melbourne alternative school founded in 1976 by Philip O'Carroll and Faye Berryman, is under investigation for alleged physical and sexual abuse, regulatory failures, and disciplinary practices spanning decades. Former students and parents have come forward with accounts ranging from praise for its unconventional education model to serious allegations of harm and intimidation. Multiple government agencies, including Victoria Police and the Victorian Institute of Teaching, are currently investigating the school and its leadership.
- ▪Fitzroy Community School was founded in 1976 by Philip O'Carroll and Faye Berryman in their family home in inner Melbourne.
- ▪The Victorian Institute of Teaching is investigating whether students were exposed to unacceptable risks of harm at the school.
- ▪Victoria Police are investigating allegations of sexual and physical assaults at the school's North Fitzroy campus between 2009 and 2012.
- ▪Nick Berryman, a teacher at the school and child of the founders, has been suspended, while his brother Tim Berryman, the principal, is on leave.
- ▪The federal Education Department is reviewing the school's governance and financial compliance records.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
'No secrets': Alternative school's history of discipline in spotlightBy Victorian investigative reporter Josie TaylorTopic:Child Abuse13m ago13 minutes agoThu 30 Apr 2026 at 8:10pmFaye Berryman and Philip O'Carroll founded the Fitzroy Community School in inner Melbourne. (Supplied/ABC News)abc.net.au/news/fitzroy-community-school-abuse-allegations-revealed/106524582Link copiedShareShare articleFor 50 years, this inner-city primary school has promised a better way of teaching, built around community, firm boundaries and a personal touch.But now, amid ongoing investigations into alleged regulatory failings, physical harm, and historical sexual assault, former students and parents are speaking out for the first time.On a busy inner-Melbourne street opposite a lush green park is a pair of…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).