▁returning ▁after ▁the ▁summer ▁break ▁while ▁rep airs ▁were ▁being ▁carried ▁out . ▁Form er ▁pup il ▁Ash ley ▁Norman ▁ple aded ▁guilty ▁to ▁starting ▁the ▁fire ▁at ▁I ps wich ▁Crown ▁Court ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁whilst ▁a ▁second ▁boy ▁denied ▁the ▁charges . ▁They ▁were ▁both ▁found ▁guilty ▁of ▁ar son ▁and ▁charged ▁with ▁ 3 ▁and ▁ 4 ▁years ▁respectively ▁in ▁a ▁young ▁off enders ▁institution . ▁ ▁Two ▁separate ▁fires ▁were ▁started ▁on ▁site , ▁the ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁staff ▁block ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁building ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁girls ' ▁g ym ▁where ▁a ▁tr amp oline ▁was ▁set ▁al ight . ▁For ▁a ▁time ▁the ▁school ▁used ▁an ▁old ▁air ▁ra id ▁sir en ▁to ▁sign ify ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁classes ▁after ▁the ▁fire ▁destroyed ▁the ▁old ▁bell ▁system . ▁ ▁Al leg ations ▁about ▁susp ended ▁teacher ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Stephen ▁B enson , ▁a ▁former ▁science ▁and ▁P E ▁teacher ▁at ▁Cop l eston ▁was ▁sent enced ▁to ▁ 1 6 ▁years ’ ▁imprison ment ▁after ▁being ▁found ▁guilty ▁of ▁ 2 1 ▁off ences , ▁including ▁nine ▁ra pes , ▁six ▁inde cent ▁assault s , ▁two ▁sex ▁assault s ▁and ▁two ▁counts ▁of ▁sexual ▁activity ▁with ▁a ▁child . ▁▁ ▁Another ▁former ▁teacher , ▁Stephen ▁B rench ley , ▁was ▁also ▁conv icted ▁of ▁sexual ▁assault ▁of ▁a ▁ 1 5 - year - old ▁girl . ▁ ▁Gi pp es w