An official police probe into a Keighley school's £860,000 building project and irregularities in an application for centre of excellence status have been dropped.

Oakbank School was dealt a double blow in July when it was stripped of its prestigious Sports College status and police launched an investigation into a funding application for building work.

But now the school is in the clear after a summer of turmoil.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "We can confirm that no further action is being considered by the police in connection with both investigations."

The T&A can now reveal that Oakbank School was subjected to an investigation over building work after a fire escape was built without approval from the government agency who were funding the project.

Although the police are no longer investigating the school, it has still not been decided whether its Sports College status will be reinstated.

Headteacher John Roberts said it was a huge relief.

"It is very good news. Now we are just hoping to have good news about the Sports College status."

Police were called into Oakbank after former Bursar Elizabeth Mitchell highlighted irregularities in the funding application for building work.

The school, in Oakworth Road, was granted £867,000 from the Funding Agency for Schools, the now abolished government agency which oversaw grant maintained schools.

The cash was earmarked for extra science rooms and classrooms, but when tenders showed the job could be done for less than £867,000, governors at the school decided to add in a much needed extra fire escape to the plans to use up the full grant.

Mr Roberts said that because no extra money was being sought, the governors did not feel it necessary to seek permission. "We thought we were being good managers and getting the best value for money."

Mr Roberts added that the then school bursar, Elizabeth Mitchell, disagreed with the decision of the board and reported the matter to FAS herself.

Mrs Mitchell, who has since resigned her position at the school, was not available for comment today.

Mr Roberts said the governors accepted that they should have sought permission for the extra work. "I am absolutely staggered by the way this has progressed. I could understand it if we had used the money for something like walnut furniture and leather sofas in my office, or a holiday to the Bahamas, but that was a fire escape which was recommended by our fire safety officer."

The school still has a fight on its hands to win back their Sports College status, which means hundreds of thousands of pounds of extra funding.

Mr Roberts and governors will be meeting officials at the Department of Education in London to discuss the matter later this year.

The status was removed after allegations about irregularities in the original application for the accolade.

Mr Roberts said matters concerning the status were still confidential.

A spokesman for the DFEE confirmed that the department had written to the school stating: "Police will not be pursuing an investigation."

A meeting would be held to discuss Sports College status, he said.

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