'Our students do not deserve this portrayal': School hits back at claims pupils are carrying out 'calculated' crimes

A headteacher has responded to a rail firm's claims that pupils at his school are carrying out "persistent, calculated fare evasion".

Highfields College, in Stockport, was one of 11 secondary schools and academies named by Northern earlier this week. The operator said it had written to the school in an attempt to crack down on the alleged behaviour.

However, Matthew Grant, the headteacher at the pupil referral unit, has now cast doubt on the claims that his pupils are responsible.

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In a letter to parents, Mr Grant said he had asked Northern for evidence that students at the school were involved. He said the number of pupils who use the train to travel to Highfields College's main campus in Brinnington and its second site near Stockport town centre is "minimal, possibly at zero most days".

Mr Grant wrote: "The first contact we received from Northern Railway about concerns on their network, allegedly involving our students, was Monday 15th July 2024 at 4:40pm. There has been no contact prior to this.

"I, as headteacher, replied Tuesday 16th July 2024 at 9:10am to first and foremost offer our support referring to the kind of work we have undertaken beforehand. As part of the communication I asked for evidence that it was our students – primarily to see if we could help identify them.

"The Northern Railway representative replied to this on Wednesday 17th July 2024 at 9:10am to thank us for the positive response and arrange a date to work together. In terms of how they have gathered evidence, the response was, “The top routes for where there is child ticketless travel and/or antisocial behaviour are compiled from our revenue protection logs and