A group of former pupils from an Auckland school has launched legal proceedings over allegations of historical abuse.
They say the former Kelston School for the Deaf failed to stop many instances of abuse between 1965 and 1984.
Lawyer Sonja Cooper said her firm Cooper Legal took on the case after a police prosecution in 2011 failed to go ahead.
She believes more students were abused and is encouraging them to come forward.
"They are making common complaints, particularly there is one former teacher there that they make complaints about in respect of physical assault.
"There are other complaints about physical assaults between the pupils and also some allegations of sexual assault between pupils, so those sorts of consistency of complaints."
Ms Cooper says the former students hope to get some form of acknowledgement, apology or compensation from the Ministry of Education.
Education Secretary Peter Hughes says the ministry is investigating the accusations and is working with the group to try and resolve the matter.
