Councillors have thanked parents for speaking up following a “depressing and upsetting” report into the treatment of pupils at a top grammar school in Orpington.

An independent investigation found St Olave's was illegal in its practice of forcing out pupils unlikely to achieve high A-level grades, with a report stating students were treated as “collateral damage”.

The headteacher who oversaw the policy, Aydin Önaç, said he did not know it was illegal and the school fully accepts the findings.

At a council meeting last night, Bromley’s councillor for education was asked to comment on the report – which will be discussed in detail on Wednesday.

“When we received this report it was very depressing and upsetting reading,” Cllr Peter Fortune said.

“The personal statements from parents, pupils and teachers, cannot help but fill you with regret for the awful experience these families faced.

“This thorough report has shined a light on some dreadful practices.”

Cllr Nicholas Bennett, who opened the discussion, said it was a “truly shocking report”, adding that pupils were treated “inhumanely”.

He said: “The unlawful admissions policy, Year 12 not letting pupils back – the fact £2m was in reserves yet staff were refused money for essential things and the fact a company was set up to trade with China without approval of the governing body shows an appalling state of things.

“A new chairman of the governing body will do something to improve the situation.”

According to the report, one staff member claims to have overheard a student say “that he was so fearful of telling his parents that he could not continue at St Olave’s and had to find another school that he might as well kill himself.”

The school also asked parents for a monthly financial contribution despite having “nearly £2million in unrestricted reserves”.

Small amounts of money for textbooks or safety inspections was “difficult or impossible” to secure.

Cllr Fortune said: “What’s clear in the report is that there have been concerns from parents right across the board. The issues they raised at the end of the last academic year, sending a letter into us that triggered the whole investigation, was absolutely useful in drawing us to a conclusion.

“We thank all the parents, and teachers, who were involved.”

According to council documents set to be agreed on Wednesday (July 18) night: “The Local Authority accepts all the recommendations and is taking action to address them.”

The council-commissioned inquiry into the school concluded that the governing body should apologise to the parents affected.