Former pupil 'relieved' that Wings School in Milnthorpe was shut down

Wings School in Milnthorpe closed in July due to 'operational challenges' which it said were being addressed in liaison with their regulator - the Department for Education.

Ofsted inspection findings of the residential home revealed claims of children 'suffering harm'.

The children's home, which was part of Kedleston Group, housed 35 young people who had social, emotional and behavioural difficulties at the time of the Ofsted inspection. 

The home was judged 'inadequate' after the full inspection on May 29, 30 and 31.

Ofsted found children 'had suffered harm due to serious and widespread safeguarding failures and that the leadership and management arrangements were ineffective'.

The report added 'some children said that staff use physical restraint as a form of discipline and compliance'.

It added: "They say excessive force is used and that they have sustained physical injuries. These are now being investigated by the appropriate safeguarding professionals."

Ofsted said staff confirmed that children are 'held' but physical interventions are 'not always recorded'.

When Ofsted returned in July it found that some care practices 'continued to be poor'.  

It said: "A lack of age-appropriate boundaries and structures, and a culture of poor and unsafe practice continues to place children at risk of harm."

Former pupil Bailey Roberts, who attended the school in the 2010s, said he was 'relieved' when he found out the school was closing.

He said: "I'd much rather it be closed than open because I know that if it is closed other kids are not having to go through what I went through and others went through."

Bailey with his mum when he was a resident and pupil at Wings School (Image: Submitted)The 25-year-old said he was currently seeing a therapist every two weeks as he claims it is 'all a result of growing up inside the school'.

"That school was meant to be your safe place. There was meant to be the place where you would live out your time in care and your home," he said.

"They were meant to have a duty of care towards you and make you feel safe. They were meant to be your parents but instead, it just was not. They treated you as if you were nothing."

READ MORE: School closes doors after experiencing 'operational challenges'

A spokesperson for Wings School said: "The safety and well-being of children and young people is a responsibility we take very seriously. Where concerns are raised, these are reported to all relevant authorities and fully investigated. Should any issue be identified, positive and proactive action is taken."

​Cumbria Constabulary confirmed that they have received a number of reports of abuse at a school in South Cumbria.

A Cumbria Police spokesperson said: "Enquiries are at the initial stages to establish the full circumstances of the allegations."