Children left alone after teacher failed to show up

Parents of children at Eppleby Forcett C of E Primary School, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, have been told the youngsters were left alone on Friday and some even went outside before they told staff their supply teacher had not arrived.

Everyone at the school, which only has around 40 pupils, seem to have assumed the replacement was with the children, who are thought to have been left for more than an hour.

Cynthia Welbourn, the corporate director of Children and Young People’s Service at North Yorkshire County Council, told reporters: “It is an extraordinary mistake to make but they are very genuine people. You can hear from the tone in the headteacher’s voice he is very shaken by this.

“Whatever your systems are, the most important thing is human vigilance and the sheer shock that this has given to everybody will make sure that those levels of vigilance are redoubled.”

Headteacher Stephen Kirby said staff were “devastated” and steps were being taken to make sure it never happened again.