LEADING catholic independent school Ampleforth College has been given the go ahead to admit new pupils by the Department for Education.

The £36,000 a year school was stopped from taking in new pupils after "very serious" safeguarding failures highlighted by Ofsted inspectors following a visit last November.

The school had been at the centre of historic child abuse concerns after it came under fire following a report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in 2018.

A further Ofsted inspection last month said the school, within the grounds of the Benedictine Ampleforth Abbey, did not meet all independent school standards checked during the inspection and there were ongoing worries over safeguarding. The school had been required to split from the abbey.

But now the Department for Education has said it has had "unprecedented" commitments to improve governance and safeguarding and it was expected the school will meet the standards by the next Ofsted inspection and this would be closely monitored.

Parents and pupils had given the school widespread support with many pupils petitioning the government to allow the school to take in new students following concerns over the future viability of the college.

Head Robin Dyer said: "The fact that the Department for Education have taken the decision they have is hugely reassuring to the college, to parents and for prospective parents."