Birmingham School 'Sent £1m To Pakistan'

2 December 2014, 06:15 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A Birmingham school is being investigated by the city council over accusations it has sent more than £1million of taxpayer's money to fund a 'sister' school in Pakistan.

The authority's working with relevant agencies to look into allegations against the Trust which ran the city's Al-Hijrah Islamic School in Bordesley Green.

The school was taken over by a Government-approved Interim Executive Board in May after being placed in special measures by Ofsted.

Financial pressures at Al-Hijrah, including a £899,000 deficit, were highlighted by the city council in June after the school's new board banned former governors from the site.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for Birmingham City Council said: "We have gathered enough information to warrant further investigation into the use of public funds and we continue to work with the relevant statutory agencies.

"If we find anything criminal it will be referred to the police.''

The Department for Education said it was aware of the allegations and was liaising closely with the city council to monitor the situation.

A DfE spokesperson said: "The school is currently in special measures and we have approved the council's choice of interim executive board.''

The Al-Hijrah Trust has yet to comment on the allegations, which are not connected to the so-called "Trojan Horse'' investigation launched in Birmingham in March.