Claims school children were put in a store cupboard

An investigation is currently taking place after claims children were put into a store cupboard at a school in Wigan.

Wigan council confirmed they are looking into the allegations made against a member of staff at Leigh CE Junior School.

Victoria Francis told the Manchester Evening News she was made aware of the investigation after she received a call from a social worker saying her son was reportedly one of the young pupils who had been put in the store cupboard. She said that the alleged incidents had come to light after another child went home after being made to stand in the store room and told his mum who then called police.

Victoria said she was disgusted to find out her 11-year-old son Nathan, who has dyspraxia, had allegedly also been put in the cupboard by the member of staff.

Victoria said: “I am fuming and disgusted by the whole thing. Nathan suffers from dyspraxia and told me he was put in there for not writing as quickly as the rest of his class. To be punished for having a disability is despicable. I’m told it’s just boys that are put in the store cupboard – none of the girls are. The member of staff was apparently making them stand inside the cupboard, which Nathan says has a window, on their own and then shutting the door. Nathan says sometimes he was told he would be in there for five minutes and then he could come out, but he can tell the time, and says he’s been in there for over an hour before.”

Social services will be visiting the school this week.