Two more arrested over Kisimul safeguarding concerns

Two more people have been arrested and questioned as police continue to investigate serious safeguarding concerns at Kisimul’s school accommodation in Swinderby.

Ofsted suspended the registration of the children’s boarding home, although the school itself remains open as normal while police look into the matter.

As previously reported, two women and a man from Lincoln were arrested last month as part of the investigation dubbed Operation Hendon, before being bailed to return at a later date.

This took the number of arrests up to six people at that time, but this has now increased to eight.

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “Our investigation is ongoing. The number of people arrested is eight and one person has been interviewed under caution.”

A Kisimul School spokesperson said: “It is not appropriate to comment at this stage while the police investigation is ongoing. The safety of the young people in our care is paramount and we are fully supporting the police’s investigation.”

What we know so far:

• Ofsted revealed in November that it had suspended the registration of the children’s boarding home at the Swinderby Kisimul schools site due to serious safeguarding concerns
• At the time it was said that the school will remain open as normal while Lincolnshire Polices carries out an investigation, which was dubbed as Operation Hendon, which is still ongoing
• Lincolnshire County Council worked with parents and carers to find alternative provisions for where they had children placed at the home
• Kisimul said the school were working closely with parents, local authorities and social workers to move their young people to temporary alternative accommodation.
• Kisimul said they take all allegations very seriously and always ensure they are thoroughly investigated in conjunction with the relevant external bodies
• The following week Kisimul said all children who were boarding at the Swinderby special needs school site had been temporarily moved home or to appropriate alternative accommodation.
• Police revealed on November 30 that three people had been arrested in connection with the safeguarding investigation – a 56-year-old man and two women, aged 52 and 57, all from Lincoln. They were then bailed to return at a later date.
• The total number of arrests went up to six in December after two women, aged 34 and 53, and a man aged 27, all from Lincoln were detained. They were bailed to return at a later date.
• On January 10 police said the number of people arrested is now eight. One person has been interviewed under caution. Their ages and genders have not been confirmed by police yet

The school was previously rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2016 and is understood to still currently have this rating.

Reporters also contacted Ofsted for an update on the situation, but there was no reply by the time of publication.