Two children in the reception class at a Richmondshire primary school climbed a fence and got on to a main road, it has emerged.
The incident at Richmond Methodist Primary School occurred a day before Ofsted inspectors arrived to carry out a routine check in February.
Inspectors described it as a “potentially serious safeguarding incident” in their report, although the school was still rated as ‘good’ overall.
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The incident occurred at lunchtime when two children aged four or five climbed the fence at the front of the school on to Darlington Road.
They were found and brought back into school.
North Yorkshire County Council said in a statement issued to Richmondshire Today: “The children were made aware of their breaking of school rules and their parents were called in to make them aware of the severity of their actions.”
Details of the incident were not mentioned in the Ofsted report.
However, inspectors noted that “a potentially serious safeguarding incident occurred the day before this inspection took place”.
The report added: “Inspectors converted the inspection in order to evaluate the response of leaders and managers, including members of the governing body.
“The headteacher and governors made a transparent and proportionate response to review the failures that led to children being at risk. The local authority provided excellent and prompt support.
“The headteacher ensured that all members of staff were appropriately briefed and that risk assessments were reviewed. By the end of the inspection, a full investigation was underway, with appropriate actions taken quickly to remedy identified weaknesses.”
North Yorkshire County Council added in its statement: “Inspectors praised the effective leadership of the school, the quality of teaching, the ambition of governors and the conduct and relationships of pupils.”
The school was rated as good overall, although early years provision was found to be ‘requiring improvement’.
