Headmaster resigns following Four Corners story

ABC is reporting the headmaster of Sydney’s prestigious Cranbrook School, Nicholas Sampson, has resigned following a Four Corners report on Monday.

The report by Louise Milligan exposed allegations around an unnamed teacher who remained on staff after claims of multiple graphic emails sent to a former female student where he had previously taught.

The teacher was still working at Cranbrook this week but is now on immediate leave pending an investigation.

Cranbrook’s school council held an emergency meeting on Thursday night after becoming aware of the revelations. The council approached Mr Sampson, who then offered his resignation.

This comes after a Four Corners investigation this week exposed allegations of a toxic culture at the boys’ school and ahead of the school’s move to go co-educational in 2026.

In a statement to the school community on Friday morning, the council said: “The circumstances of the matter and subsequently Mr Sampson’s failure to disclose the matter to the current School Council in the context of this week’s ABC Four Corners broadcast, have led to an irrevocable breakdown of trust between the Headmaster and the School Council.”

“The School Council communicated this to Mr Sampson and this morning received his resignation.”

The council said it, “deeply regrets the distress to our students, our staff, our parents, our alumni and the broader Cranbrook family arising from the current circumstances”.