A WHISTLEBLOWER has revealed a school credit card was used for a series of bizarre purchases - which included hotel accommodation so a student could audition for X-Factor.
Items bought included a reproduction antique brass compass, a new pair of shoes for a member of staff and £225 on a new suit for a less well-paid staff member.
The spending by Barnsley Academy was revealed in a critical report by government body the Education Funding Agency following a two year investigation.
The report said the EFA did not find 'a wide misuse of academy funding', but the investigation did identify small items of expenditure that would be 'considered to have been spent on items 'not as Parliament intended' and recommended a strengthening of internal controls.
A spokesman for school sponsor United Learning said: "We take seriously our accountability for every pound of taxpayer’s money spent in our schools. As our investigation found, everyone in the academy behaved honestly throughout, but the purchasing of several small items was not best practice."
** The full story, including a list of items purchased, appears in the Barnsley Chronicle dated September 5. **
