The number of sexual offences reported in the county's schools has rocketed in the past three years.

Between 2015 and 2017 the number of indecent attacks within schools went up by nearly 70 per cent, with more than 400 incidents reported in the East of England in the last year.

In Essex there were 273 reports of sexual assaults in schools during that period - an 80 per cent increase during the same period - with figures including both pupil on pupil assaults as well as those involving adults.

Anna Cole, an inclusion specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, was asked by the BBC what accounted for the rise.

She said: “I don’t know the definitive answer to that.

"I suspect that it’s to do with the fact that we are talking about this more, it’s out in the open more.

"The #MeToo movement will have a big impact on this. I am sure this has always gone on but people are talking about it more and schools know this has to be taken seriously.”

As part of a campaign on safeguarding, the NSPCC is visiting every school in the UK to educate them on sexual abuse.

Derrek Mortimer, a volunteer at the charity, said: "We don’t know the reasons why there has been in increase in reported sexual offences in schools.

"What we are concerned about is making sure children feel comfortable to speak out if they are affected by those issues or any other form of things which can cause children to be worried or upset.

"We want them to be comfortable speaking out so that they can stay safe.”