Yehudi Menuhin School: Abuse claims by former pupils

Police have launched an inquiry after 22 former pupils of an elite music school made allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

The claims relate to the £45,000-a-year Yehudi Menuhin School, near Cobham, with the alleged abuse from staff taking place between 1964 and 2007.

Lawyers representing the claimants said some suffered mental health issues and gave up promising musical careers.

The school said it takes the claims extremely seriously.

Last year the Yehudi Menuhin was named in a report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse as being among four schools where students alleged abuse by teachers or staff.

Malcolm Johnson, from Lime Solicitors, which is representing the 22 claimants, said: "Some say that after they left the school they had what could be called a nervous breakdown.

"Others say that they still have long term problems. In some cases we have people who actually gave up their musical careers as a result of what happened.

"The damage done to these people is very long lasting."

Mr Johnson said he was working closely with the school and a meeting was due to take place soon.

The school was founded by the world famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin in 1963.

In a statement, it said: "The school continues to take these claims extremely seriously and is committed to ensuring they are dealt with as quickly as possible.

"Since they are the subject of legal proceedings we are unable to comment in any detail at the moment."

Surrey Police said: "We have been made aware of disclosures of non-recent sexual abuse at the Yehudi Menuhin School.

"These disclosures were not made directly to police but were raised to us in the first instance by the school, who are assisting us with our investigation."

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