Five schoolboys from Nottingham have made a bid for freedom using age-old tunnelling techniques!
The boys, from Djanogly City Academy, used cutlery to try and dig their way under the 12-foot-high spike-topped metal fence surrounding the Academy.
Andy Roach, Assistant Head, has since written to staff saying: "Estates have filled in the hole and put a metal bar across the bottom of the fence in that area. However, can staff on duty on the back field please keep an eye on them digging any more holes for this purpose in other areas along the fence."
The email from Mr Roach went on to say: "a lot of cutlery was found in the area, presumably stolen from the canteen to aid their digging, so if staff on duty can keep an eye on students smuggling cutlery out of the canteen..."
The school, which is in special measures after Ofsted found it to be 'inadequate', is trying to take a tough stance on truancy and operates a 'swipe-in' system, strictly prohibiting under-16s from leaving the premises without permission during the school day.
Tracey Phillipson, whose daughter is in Year 9 at the school, said: "The fencing with security signs all over it does make it look a bit more like a prison than a school and I guess to some pupils that’s a challenge."
Jamila Khaliq, whose home backs onto the school's playing fields, said: "I can’t believe they would even try such a thing. Since they put in the new fencing, we have all thought it was impossible for any pupil to get out."
Meanwhile, one former pupil described the school as "security mad", saying that the school had been known to use a marked car to patrol the area looking for truants.
He added: "It would not be easy to dig a hole under that fence with a spade let alone a spoon."
Elaine Crookes, Acting Headteacher at Djanogly City Academy, confirmed that: "five pupils tried to leave the school at lunchtime by getting below the fence on the fields at our Gregory Boulevard site."
Ms Crookes added: "We have spoken to the students concerned, and taken action to repair the hole. That part of the fence has also been reinforced. Our staff are supervising that area to ensure our students stay safe and in school.