Government inspectors will be at an Aberdeen fee-paying school all week as its owner and another employee face prosecution over their professional conduct.
Education Scotland officials arrived at the Hamilton School on Queen’s Road on Friday to assess the standards of education and teaching on offer to primary pupils.
The intervention comes after founder and headmistress Kathlyn Taylor, 65, and a 25-year-old staff member were charged by police following an investigation into the school’s nursery.
Inspectors are currently stationed at the school with efforts being made to keep disruption for pupils at a minimum.
Representatives of the Care Inspectorate – which has responsibility for regulating standards at the nursery – were also at Hamilton School on Friday.
The watchdog is now working to appoint a new head teacher for the nursery. A spokesman said the owners of the school have been “fully compliant” with the move.
Both Education Scotland and the Care Inspectorate were drafted in after Police Scotland announced that Ms Taylor and her employee were to be reported to the procurator fiscal.
Bill Maxwell, chief executive of Education Scotland, said: “I share with the Care Inspectorate the need to assure the high-quality provision for children’s care and education at all times.
“In agreement with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and the Registrar of Independent Schools, we have initiated an immediate inspection of the school and also, in partnership with the Care Inspectorate, the education provision in the nursery.
“As an immediate priority we will look to assess leadership of learning, safeguarding of children and additional support needs provision. We will continue to work with partner agencies to ensure that the safety, welfare and education of the children is of the utmost importance at all times.”
A spokesman for the Crown Office said a report from Police Scotland North had yet to be received regarding the allegations against the two women.
Police were called in after a website, reportedly set up by former staff members, detailed a raft of allegations over how the school was run. The Care Inspectorate said investigations into separate allegations at the school are ongoing.