Since December 2023, Howard Junior School has been a part of a Eastern Multi-Academy Trust (EMAT). When Hill was head teacher it was a single academy school and he was the CEO of the trust as well as the head teacher.
As a single academy school, any complaints about the head teacher would have needed to be raised with the board of trustees, who are responsible for running the school.
All of the women the has spoken to said they feared that Hill would have known about any issues that were raised about him to the board.
Scott Lyons, the Norfolk branch secretary National Education Union, said the single academy model did not work to protect staff.
He said any head teachers who also served as CEO of the trust could act without “oversight or scrutiny”.
“Somebody that knows the system… can very quickly shut down any challenge,” he said.
The Department for Education said school staff should feel safe and supported at work.
It added that any concerns about leadership could be raised “through the school’s internal staff grievance process, their trade unions, or direct to the Department of Education”.
Ms Gidman now works in Australia and said she was speaking out against Hill because the complaints system needed to change.
A spokesperson for EMAT said when it took over after Mr Hill’s arrest it urgently reviewed safeguarding, complaints and whistleblowing procedures.
It said it was appalled by the allegations and commended the victim for their courage in bringing him to justice.
