Panorama

Undercover School: Cruelty in the Classroom

Panorama investigates a school for children with special educational needs. Places at LIFE school in the Wirral cost the local authority £50,000 or more a year per pupil, but reporter Sasha Hinde sees little teaching going on. Instead, pupils are mocked, bullied and physically abused. Undercover filming reveals how children with ADHD, autism and complex needs are placed in headlocks or wrestled to the ground by staff and described as 'thick' and 'retards'. The school says it has an excellent academic record, takes any allegation of misconduct or inappropriate behaviour extremely seriously and that some members of staff have been suspended. Parents tell Panorama they feel let down and believe the school should be closed.