SCHOOLS Secretary Ed Balls has ordered a school to set up a proper complaints procedure, after a youngster was tied up and whipped by fellow pupils.

Mr Balls said he had “serious concerns” over Great Tey Primary School’s handling of Scott and Claire David’s complaints about the treatment of their seven-year-old daughter, Chloe.

He told the House of Commons he would intervene if the school refused to establish a better procedure of its own accord.

Mr Balls was speaking after Essex education chiefs upheld the school’s decision to sack dinner lady Carol Hill, for revealing to the couple that their daughter had been whipped with a skipping rope. He said he was concerned the governors and headteacher Debbie Crabb had failed to heed previous warnings.

Mr Balls said: “I actually contacted the school, through my officials, in September.

“I pointed out to the school its obligations in law to make sure a proper complaints procedure was followed when a parent made a complaint.

“I wrote to it last week, to say how much I regretted the fact it hadn’t had a proper complaints procedure in this case and I asked it to reflect again.”

If the school failed to change its practices, Mr Balls said he would force the school to set up a proper complaints procedure,.

He added: “It is very important it does, because I think in this case, there are very, very substantial concerns about the treatment of that child, which are not being properly addressed at the moment, by the school and the governors.”

North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin raised the case in Parliament after it was revealed Mr Balls has written to the governors. Mr Jenkin expressed surprise Mr Balls had stepped in without first consulting Essex County Council.

Mr Jenkin asked: “Is he aware this letter is being used in a public campaign against the school? Was that his intention – that it should be used in that way?”

Dinner lady Mrs Hill, 61, says she is taking her case to an industrial tribunal after losing her appeal against dismissal on Friday.

She was sacked for breaking confidentiality rules by telling the Davids she’d seen their daughter being bullied.

The school and Essex County Council both declined to comment on the case.