Headmaster of Sydney’s Kings School Tony George extends leave after allegedly ‘clipping’ pupil on head

The headmaster of one of Sydney’s most prestigious boys schools has taken leave after he allegedly clipped a student on the back of a head. In a message to staff and parents on Friday, the King’s School headmaster Tony George said he had decided to extend his leave from the 193-year boy’s school while the incident is investigated, The Australian reported. “As you know, I commenced planned leave at the end of term and have since been on personal leave due to illness,” he said in a statement to the school’s community. “While I am now well enough to return to work, I have decided to extend my leave to ensure the investigation proceeds without any perception of interference or a divergence from our standard practices. “The wellbeing and safety of our students and staff have always been at the heart of my work, and I remain fully committed to those values.” It’s alleged Mr George clipped the back of the head of a senior school student during a discussion about free speech and religion in a biblical studies class on the school’s North Parramatta campus at the end of term two. Mr George said in an earlier letter to parents on Monday that he supported “the integrity of the school’s processes and welcome the opportunity for a full and fair assessment of the facts”. “It is a testament to the strength of our culture that the incident was reported in accordance with the school’s policies,” Mr George said. “This reflects the strong child-centric culture within the school, an understanding of the pathways for reporting concerns and, most importantly, confidence in doing so.” Mr George said he would not comment further. The King’s School is one of the largest boarding schools in the country, with two residential campuses offering boarding from Years 3 to 12.