An investigation has been launched after three sets of parents claimed their disabled children were ‘abused’ at the same special needs school.

Ian and Elaine Worth, Nicola Fernley and Wendy Trueman have all raised separate complaints about staff at Springwood Primary School in the past 12 months.

They believe their children have been subjected to physical and emotional abuse at the school, in Swinton, Salford, over the last academic year.

The parents believe their complaints were ‘swept under the carpet’ by the school – so the Worths and Ms Fernley have taken them to Salford Council to investigate.

But the town hall has passed the allegations back to the school for a probe by its governors.

Mr Worth, 41, from Swinton, said: “We think something has gone seriously wrong at that school but our concerns don’t seem to be taken seriously.

“It feels like the safeguarding policies are in place to protect the teachers, not our children.”

The Worths described how their son, who has autism, Down’s Syndrome and cannot talk, had ‘completely changed’ over the last year – going from a loving, happy child to being aggressive, withdrawn and having frequent ‘meltdowns’.

They said they were baffled by the change, which was putting a massive strain on their relationship, until they were contacted by Springwood and told a supply teacher had raised concerns with how he was treated in class over the course of a day in May this year.

It was alleged that staff members had dragged him across the classroom, flicked water in his face and tipped a cup of water over his head – before saying to him: “That’s what you deserve.”

The matter was investigated by Springwood, which found that only the water flicking incident could be proven as staff members gave different versions of events.

The staff involved were suspended and then spoken to before being allowed to return to the school.

The Worths were unhappy with the outcome so raised it with Salford council’s children’s service department.

Mr Worth, a field support engineer, said: “We 100 per cent believe our son has been abused, because of how his behaviour changed from October last year. What happened in May has confirmed it for us.

“Why would this supply teacher lie about these incidents? She was only there for two days, what did she have to gain? We don't know who she is but we are so grateful that she came forward. Without her it wouldn't be out in the open.”

Mrs Worth added: “We thought he was being bullied by another child at the school. We never thought it could be staff. But now we look at the big picture, it has all fallen into place like a jigsaw.”

The Worths said they had recently become aware of complaints which fellow parent Nicola Fernley had made about staff at Springwood.

Mum-of-three Ms Fernley, from Little Hulton, Salford, told the M.E.N. she had taken her 10-year-old son, who has autism, severe learning difficulties and has difficulty communicating, out of the school in September over concerns she had with staff.

The Worths and Ms Fernley have also become aware of similar concerns raised by Wendy Trueman over her 10-year-old son, who has Apert syndrome and needs to use a wheelchair after suffering a stroke.

A spokeswoman for Salford City Council said: “We have received a number of allegations which are being dealt with through our usual schools complaints procedure. The chair of governors, supported by council staff, is investigating.

“We cannot comment until that investigation is complete but the City Council does take all complaints very seriously.”

“Our concerns have been met with a brick wall,” claim parents

The parents described how they were met with a 'brick wall' when they tried to raise their concerns with Springwood School.

Ms Fernley, 43, told the M.E.N. how her son's behaviour had dramatically changed over the past year – hitting himself and having regular outbursts at school which then spilled over into their home life.

She described one occasion when her son pointed to a photograph of one particular staff member and said: “Monster.”

Ms Fernley said she had been into the school several times over various concerns – including staff refusing to open his food for her son at lunchtime and one occasion when the splints which he needs for his legs were put on so tightly that they left him with painful swelling.

She and the Worths were separately told that the behaviour changes in their children could be down to bowel problems or hormones.

Ms Fernley said: “I'm certain he has been abused but every time I brought it to the school I was met with a brick wall.

“I was almost talked in to medicating him over his behaviour. Thank God I didn't. He is like a different boy since leaving. He won't be going back.”

Unlike the Worths' and Ms Fernley's children, Mrs Trueman's son does not have difficulty communicating.

Mrs Trueman said her boy told her that one staff member at Springwood had smacked him for spilling milk.

The mum-of-three said her son had ended up in hospital because he had lost so much weight through not eating at school.

Mrs Trueman, 35, from Swinton, said: “If it was me who had smacked my child, social services would be involved and all my three would be taken away, evidence or not.

“The school has swept my complaints under the carpet. I felt like they were basically calling him a liar.

“When I heard about the other parents who had raised similar concerns, it just strengthened my trust in my child.”

Mrs Trueman added that, if she had not gone back to Salford University to study Biomedical Science this year, she would have removed him from the school too.

She added: “Springwood is the only special school in Salford so it feels like they have got us over a barrel. It feels like we're trapped.”