A parent at Caversham Primary School raised fresh safeguarding fears after a volunteer gave a young schoolgirl their personal phone number.

The concerns come in the wake of an Ofsted report that found the school’s leadership and management was inadequate due to “serious” safeguarding concerns. Head teacher Ruth Perry died by suicide while waiting for the report’s publication, before this incident took place.

The Chronicle understands that the volunteer was helping in a game in which children swapped imaginary phone numbers, and gave the child their real one.

The child later attempted to call the volunteer on their grandfather’s phone in April. When confronted by the child’s grandfather, the volunteer hung up, only to then send a text apologising, and claiming they hadn’t intended anything inappropriate.

It said the child and the volunteer had “friendly chats” and added: “I would never do anything inappropriate or wrong.”

The parent spoke to the school’s co-headteachers Clare Jones-King and Jo Grover, and claims they said they would investigate, and that they would ensure the volunteer would not work where the child was present.

But the parent was later surprised to find the volunteer present on one occasion when they arrived at the school to pick up the child.

The parent has since said that they and the school have reached a “satisfactory resolution” that again ensures the volunteer would not work when the child is present.

The Chronicle understands that the school, a Reading Borough Council officer, Ofsted and the police met following the initial complaint.

They concluded that the volunteer had made ‘a foolish mistake’ in handing over their number. But they decided the volunteer had not intended anything untoward, and that the school should deal with the matter internally.

The school then issued the volunteer with a written warning and required them to go through training before returning to their full role.

READ MORE: Ofsted’s reforms in wake of headteacher’s death ‘do not go far enough’

A statement from Brighter Futures for Children, which provides children’s services on behalf of Reading Borough Council, said: “The incident in question arose during a ‘telephone calls’ game at a school club.

“We take any concerns around the safeguarding of children extremely seriously. In this case, the school followed all procedures and reported swiftly to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who then oversaw a swift and robust investigation into the complaint and appropriate action was taken.

“Senior officers from BFfC School Effectiveness Team are satisfied that safeguarding procedures and processes are effectively managed at the school.”

Safeguarding at Caversham primary school came under the spotlight after the recent Ofsted report found it inadequate.

It said that governors had “not ensured that they fulfil their statutory safeguarding responsibilities.” And it added that they had been “unaware of significant weaknesses in the school’s arrangements to keep pupils safe.”

Ofsted was criticised in the wake of Mrs Perry’s death, and was accused of causing teachers stress. The National Education Union called for it to be abolished and replaced with a system that is “supportive, effective and fair”.

Its joint general secretary Mary Bousted said in April: “For school leaders, the excessive high stakes and punitive nature of inspection can be intolerable and have a devastating impact on their professional and personal lives."