Severely disabled pupils were left hungry and “contained” in classrooms during breaks because of chronic understaffing at a special school, despite its small academy trust sitting on reserves of nearly £6 million.
Harlow Academy in Nottinghamshire was immediately closed after a damning Ofsted inspection last year found pupils, many who were non-verbal, “at imminent risk of harm”.
An investigation by Schools Week can now reveal the harrowing details.
Harlow catered for 3 to 18-year-olds with severe or profound disabilities, including some with life-limiting conditions.
Previously called Fountaindale School, it became an academy under Evolve in April 2021 after falling from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’ the previous year.
