Pupils at Edinburgh Academy suffered decades of "dreadful abuse", a report has found.

Lady Smith, who chairs the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI), details more than 40 years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse at the school in her latest report.

She says the school focused on protecting its reputation and ignored complaints.

Lady Smith also names four serial perpetrators of the abuse, including two who went on to offend at other schools.

Edinburgh Academy, which had previously apologised for "brutal and unrestrained" historical abuse, said it was committed to facing up to "the wrongs of the past".

The inquiry heard claims of historical abuse against 20 teaching staff at the private school, with most of the evidence covering the years between 1954 and 1995.

Nearly 50 witnesses gave evidence, including broadcaster Nicky Campbell - who said one teacher had abused children on an "industrial scale".

Publishing her findings, former judge Lady Smith said the school had "failed to look at itself through a realistic and critical lens" for decades.

"It is clear it was assumed that abuse did not and would not take place," she said.

"When it did, the school could not accept that it had happened, failed to address it, and failed to recognise the risk of it continuing. Complacency was the order of the day.

"When complaints were made, they were either disbelieved or left unresolved. Staff chose not to notice and avoided intervention or investigation despite there being obvious signs of abuse."

The report names two long-serving members of staff as perpetrators of abuse: Hamish Dawson, a housemaster and senior school teacher, and John Brownlee, a housemaster and deputy head of the junior school.

It also singles out prep school teacher Iain Wares, who went on to abuse pupils at Fettes College and is currently awaiting extradition from South Africa; and physics teacher William Bain, who has twice been convicted of sex offences.

He began his lengthy history of abuse at Edinburgh Academy before moving on to harm children in other schools.

Former pupil Nicky Campbell described Wares as "one of the most prolific paedophiles in British criminal history".

The BBC 5 Live presenter said his overwhelming feeling about the report was sadness for the victims, including those who suffered at the hands of their fellow pupils in an atmosphere he described as "feral".

The broadcaster said the effects of school abuse were "lifelong" and added: "Some of us are lucky enough to be surrounded by support and love, but it never goes away."

Campbell said Edinburgh Academy was a well-run school, and that the report should not reflect on the current teachers or pupils.

But he warned: "Although the 1970s might seem to be the dark ages, it's still happening in different places in different ways.

"We still have to be relentlessly child-centred in our approach in these matters because someone, somewhere is being abused who needs our protection."

Another former pupil at the fee-paying school said the report "absolutely, perfectly captured what happened to us".

Giles Moffat added: "Seeing really dangerous and evil men exposed in this instance, that is the best therapy for trauma."

He said some legal proceedings were ongoing but welcomed the fact the report "cements a place in educational history for some terrible people".

Laura Connor, a partner with Thompsons Solicitors Scotland, represents a number of abuse survivors from the school.

She said: "Those who currently run Edinburgh Academy, while apologising for these dreadful crimes against children, have nevertheless behaved in a very difficult and uncooperative way in settling civil claims for those who were abused. That must end.

"We also wait to see those remaining Academy perpetrators who have yet to be brought to justice see the inside of a Scottish court room."

The report highlights the evidence of one pupil, who used the pseudonym Henry. He spent nine years at the school and said abuse was part of daily life.

He told the inquiry it was normal for 11-year-olds to be groomed with jelly babies, and for them to be molested in front of other pupils.

"It was normal to kick, hit, and strangle, to the point of unconsciousness, 10-year-olds. It was normal to inflict physical punishment with a plank of wood with no good reason."

He said grown men subjected children to "psychological belittlement" and that "endless cycles of bullying" went unnoticed or unchecked.

Henry said "flagrant racism, sexism, homophobia" was ignored and there was no safeguarding.

"It was normal for there to be no pastoral care, and it was normal to be somewhere where nobody, not one person, loved or genuinely cared for you," he added.

Lady Smith said: 'None of this behaviour was "normal". Or acceptable. It was simply abusive.'"

The report said as recently as 2001 the school's Court of Directors focused its reputation and how it was perceived, rather than how life actually was for its pupils.

Lady Smith said Hamish Dawson's "eccentric" classroom behaviour was known about and yet "celebrated by the school".

Various "instruments of correction" which he had used to abuse pupils were auctioned on his departure from the school.

The report said sexual abuse extended over four decades, from the 1950s to the 1980s, and included instances of children sexually abusing other children.

Physical abuse was "normalised" and children in the Prep School were regularly beaten until corporal punishment was abolished in 1988.

Following the introduction of co-education in the sixth form, girls were the targets of "unpleasant and abusive misogyny".

The report found there was no evidence that the school gave any consideration to the obvious risks involved.

The Edinburgh Academy Survivors Group welcomed the findings and thanked Lady Smith for an "accurate and thoughtful account of the events we endured as children".

The school's rector, Barry Welsh, said it had an "unwavering" commitment to facing up to "the wrongs of the past".

He said the former judge's report made for "sombre reading", and "reinforces the remarkable bravery shown by our former pupils who have given evidence.

"We reiterate our sincere apology to all those affected by any abuse that occurred at our school."

Welsh acknowledged the school could not change the past but pledged to "shape the future".

He added: "We continue to support survivors as fully as we are able whilst also educating our current pupils in a caring and supportive environment."

A spokesperson for NSPCC Scotland said the report "makes for grim reading".

They added: "As the inquiry moves into its final stages, it is vital that its recommendations lead to meaningful and lasting change, with schools and other organisations placing child protection at the heart of their culture, policies and practices."

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry was set up in October 2015 to look at the abuse of children in care in Scotland.

Lady Smith has previously produced reports on abuse carried out at a number of schools, children's homes and orphanages.

The Edinburgh Academy report was based on evidence hearings which took place between November 2021 and August 2023.