Wolverhampton MP calls for investigation to reopen into allegation students at city school locked in cupboards for misbehaving

An MP has called on Wolverhampton City Council to reopen an investigation into allegations that youngsters at a city school were locked inside a storage cupboard as punishment for misbehaving.

The allegations, which date back to 2012, were made by a number of parents who claim their children were regularly shut away in a classroom cupboard at Woodthorne Primary School in Tettenhall by a member of staff.

In the wake of the accusations an investigation was launched by Wolverhampton City Council, which resulted in a statement from former chief executive Simon Warren that said no evidence of wrongdoing had been found.

But angry parents – of which at least eight withdrew their children from the school in the wake of the scandal – formed an action group accusing the authority of conducting a botched inquiry into the alleged incidents.

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Now Paul Uppal, MP for Wolverhampton South West, has written to the council to asking them to reopen the investigation. He has also requested a copy of the council's report into the alleged abuse.

Mr Uppal said: "The reassurance of parents is the important issue here. The council's initial feedback was that they have investigated this thoroughly and comprehensively, yet a number of concerns remain from parents.

"The ball is very much in the council's court."

As yet he has received no response to the letter dated November 11.

The council's opposition Conservative leader Wendy Thompson has also joined the fight. She said: "There are a number of unresolved issues here. The council needs to give assurances that the correct procedures were followed."

Millicent Boachie-Barrance, spokeswoman for the Justice for Children in Schools action group, said: "To date the council has not officially acknowledged that children were locked in a cupboard at Woodthorne School.

"We believe the investigation was flawed. The children who said this happened to them were not questioned, neither were members of staff who witnessed the abuse.

"No report has ever been presented by the council. We want to see the investigation reports and the evidence their conclusion was based on.

"If this is not possible then we want the council to make its position clear in terms of how the investigation was concluded."

One parent who alleges her child was shut away in the cupboard, Tracy Sant, said her son received a verbal apology from the school's then headteacher at a meeting on March 26 last year.

She said: "If there was no wrong doing then why was my son given an apology for the misuse of the storage cupboard towards him?

"This was witnessed by staff from the council, but still they have concluded that nothing wrong went on."

A letter sent out by the school to another parent, Windsome Bonnie, states: "As you are aware, one parent received an apology, as a result of the investigation, but that is a matter between the council, the school, and the other parent."

Miss Bonnie said her son was traumatised after he was allegedly locked in the cupboard.

She said: "Children have suffered here, yet we have no answers."

Wolverhampton City Council was unavailable for comment.