POLICE were called out to Basingstoke and Deane secondary school sites on more than 100 occasions last year.

Figures obtained by The Gazette reveal police visited borough secondary schools on 108 occasions to investigate suspected offences.

Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College, in Wessex Close, Basingstoke, was visited the most times by the police, on 22 occasions.

Head teacher Betty Elkins said: “My paramount concern is making sure our staff and pupils are safe and if that means calling the police, then I’m not afraid to do it.

“We had one example where a pupil said they had been followed to school and had been asked to get in a car so we called the police. Sometimes, it must be done.

“We have a large open school, which has a public footpath which runs through it, and inevitably that will cause it’s own set of problems.”

Fort Hill Community School, in Kenilworth Road, Basingstoke, had the second highest amount of call-outs, with 15.

Deputy head teacher Nathan Thomas said: “We have a very good working relationship with our local police officer, PC Ian Castle.

“I think some schools are resistant to working with the police, but even if a crime is committed out of school involving a pupil, we invite the police to come into the school to deal with the matter.”

The figures show there were 40 call-outs for theft and handling, 31 call-outs for violence against a person, including sexual offences and robbery, and 16 call-outs for criminal damage and arson.

Of the 108 call-outs, 16 resulted in charges being brought, 14 resulted in warnings and there were 78 incidents where no further action was taken.

Ron Clooney, national executive member for central southern England branch of the teachers’ union NASUWT, said: “Schools are not the havens people think they are, and particularly at schools with lots of pupils, there is often police involvement.

“Teachers have to call the police in because things have changed. You’re not allowed to do or say certain things to pupils for fear of breaching their rights so the police are necessary.

“I think there is less respect for law and order but also misbehaving pupils should not be in mainstream classes. It only takes a few to spoil a class and they should be dealt with at specialised units.”

PC Helen Crockford, schools engagement officer for Basingstoke and Deane, said: "The number of incidents reported to us is relatively small when you take into account the size and number of the schools they relate to, and the numbers of pupils and staff who attend and work there.

"Care must also be taken when analysing these figures, as they include all offences recorded at the school's location and will involve incidents which happen outside school hours but on school premises.

"I work closely with all secondary schools, supported by the Safer Neighbourhoods Teams, to provide educational awareness, advice and assistance to ensure schools remain a safe environment for students, and the schools fully support us in this work."