The Bridge School head teachers in Ipswich locked pupils in rooms

Two former head teachers at a school for children with special educational needs locked pupils in "calming rooms" with bolted doors, a report revealed.

An investigation was launched after concerns were raised about Odran Doran and Simon Black's leadership at The Bridge School in Ipswich.

Officials found multiple rooms with bolts when they visited the school.

Mr Doran, 66, and Mr Black, 62, were banned from teaching after a hearing led by the Teaching Regulation Agency.

A report said Mr Doran was head teacher and associate head teacher of the school in its various formats from 1988 until 2017 - when he was replaced by his deputy Mr Black.

The school catered for pupils aged four to 16 who had "significant" special educational needs and many of whom were either non-verbal or pre-verbal.

A room known as the "soft play" space - which had padded walls, cushions and was bolted - had been in use at the school, the report said.

Further "calming rooms" were introduced from 2015 and designed to be "intentionally bleak" to de-escalate a pupil's behaviour, Mr Doran told the hearing.

In his evidence, he said the bolt would be used "to contain children if they were being aggressive and presenting a danger to themselves or others".

Mr Doran retired in August 2017 - a month before Suffolk County Council started its investigation into the school - and was replaced by Mr Black.

Mr Black was found to have been involved in "pushing and rolling" a pupil from a hallway into a so-called calming room and then locking them inside, the report revealed.

He told the panel that he had been responding to a call for help and the student was in a "heightened state" and could not be calmed down in the corridor.

The panel found he engaged in inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour towards the vulnerable pupil.

In a previous statement, Mr Black admitted he had ignored an instruction from the local authority to remove locks from doors but then denied doing so in the latest proceedings.

Mr Doran was found to have been "unprofessional and aggressive" by restricting pupils movement by the use of locks and allowing them to be detained when it was not appropriate.

The Teaching Regulation Agency said both members of staff "fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession".

They were banned from teaching indefinitely.

The BBC has contacted The Bridge School for comment.

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email [email protected] or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830