A HEAD teacher has been called in to face auditors after “significant concerns” were raised, including a deficit of £1.6 million at the school and reports of staff working without the proper safeguarding checks.

Auditors investigating Caerleon Comprehensive School’s practices in March identified 27 significant issues and one critical – this being the school’s financial position.

It was also found that some new staff members were not always subject to DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks, while employees accrued lieu time and sick leave without evidence of authorisation.

Councillors voiced concerns over the ‘unsatisfactory’ audit opinion at a meeting on Thursday, with questions raised over the school’s large financial deficit.

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The audit committee agreed to call in the school’s head teacher and a member of the governing body to explain the findings.

Cllr Richard White said the size of the school’s deficit suggested there had to be “something drastically wrong,” asking whether the shortfall would impact on other schools.

However Meirion Rushworth, head of finance at the council, gave assurances schools would never be asked to “bail out” others in deficit.

“We will expect Caerleon, with our help, to bring forward plans to reverse the position they have reached,” Mr Rushworth said.

“The vast majority of our schools are in credit.”

Except for two secondary schools, one being Caerleon Comprehensive, every other school in Newport is in credit or close to being in credit, the meeting heard.

Mr Rushworth said the council would now be providing additional help for Caerleon, not through money but with people from the council offering support.

“We will be working closely with the school to help them turn it around,” he said.

Cllr Phil Hourahine said the finding that minutes of governing body meetings were not available raised questions over governance at the school.

Auditors said the school’s head teacher has since agreed to an action plan to address some of the issues, but acknowledged there were “significant concerns” identified.

“There are a number of key significant issues we have identified which need following up,” said Andrew Watham, chief internal auditor at the council.

“I think it would be justifiable to call in the head and governor.”

Normally the ‘call in’ process is used after two unsatisfactory successive audit opinions are issued, but the meeting heard this can be changed if concerns are deemed significant enough.

A spokeswoman for Newport council said: “Newport City Council is working with the head teacher and chair of governors at Caerleon Comprehensive School to address concerns raised at the recent audit committee.

“It is not uncommon for the committee to make a request to meet with school representatives.

“The internal audit team will return to the school to undertake a follow up audit during 2019/20 to ensure the issues highlighted in the committee report have been addressed by the school."