A SOUTH Essex primary school has lost almost £5,000 in a suspected fraud case, it has been revealed.

Wickford Primary in Market Road discovered what has been described as a "discrepancy" to the finances of the school's Parents and Teachers Association (PTA), with the suggestion that fraudulent activity has taken place. School leaders are now planning court action to get the money back.

It has been reported the PTA believes about £5,000 is missing due to 'fraudulent activity'. The PTA claims all its members have been "completely exonerated" and that "transparency and trust" are top priorities. 

A spokesperson for Wickford Primary School said: "As soon as we became aware of the discrepancy in the PTA finances, we acted to secure all accounts and investigate what happened.

"We have implemented strict new protocols around financial management and are working with the small claims court to recover the missing funds."

The school was last reviewed by education regulator Ofsted in January 2023 and received an overall rating of good. At the time, the number of pupils on the school roll was 511. 

The PTA was contacted for comment.