A SPECIAL school has been plunged into special measures just two years after it opened.

In a damning Ofsted report, inspectors criticised everything from teaching to leadership and behaviour at Parklands Campus (Action for Children) in Bessels Leigh, near Abingdon. The school cares for 26 secondary aged boys and girls with behavioural difficulties.

Inspector Anne Duffy said: “Lessons are frequently interrupted by shouting, swearing, and by students entering or leaving the classroom and this is poorly managed by teaching staff.”

The school faced a safeguarding inspection at the same time, which Action for Children spokeswoman Jo-Anne Hamilton said identified issues which had subsequently been addressed.

A “serious incident” had triggered a second investigation, which Ms Hamilton said was down to safeguarding concerns raised by “an external party”. They were investigated by Oxfordshire County Council and an action plan drawn up.

John Downing, director of children’s placements at the charity, said the incident involved a teenage girl leaving school without permission for a number of hours in March, before returning.

He said the report didn’t mean they were going to close the school.

He added: “The education, safety and wellbeing of the children and young people we support at Parklands Campus are our absolute priority.

“We take the results of Ofsted’s inspection very seriously and recognise that several improvements are needed.”

Council spokesman Owen Morton said the authority was closely monitoring developments at the school but had been satisfied with the action plan drawn up following the serious incident.

In 2007, Swindon schoolgirl Charmaine Pearce died after being hit by a car at a bus stop outside the school, which was then Besselsleigh School.