Children from Norfolk have been moved out of an out-of-county boarding school after three people were arrested amid 'safeguarding concerns'.

The children's home in Lincolnshire, where Norfolk County Council places children with special educational needs, is being investigated by regulator Ofsted and police.

Ofsted said in November that the registration at the children's accommodation on the site of the Kisimul School in Swinderby had been suspended while an investigation was carried out.

Lincolnshire police confirmed on Friday that three people had been arrested - a man aged 56 and two women aged 52 and 57. They were all from Lincoln and were bailed.

This year Norfolk County Council's children's services spent £517,000 placing children from the county with special needs in the home.

The council has a contract worth an estimated £500,000 with the Kisimul Group to provide residential care and education. It only pays when it places children there.

A spokesman for Kisimul School said: 'We are unable to provide residential care and support on the site while a police investigation into the allegations made is underway. This does not affect the school which is operating as normal.

'All of the children that were resident at the children's home have been temporarily moved to their family home or to alternative accommodation.

'We are continuing to work closely with parents, local authorities and social workers so that the young people affected continue to receive the care and support they need.'

Ofsted declined to comment other than confirming the suspension of the home's registration remained in place.

The children's home is registered separately from the Kisimul School, which is rated outstanding by Ofsted.

Ofsted rated the home as good in August this year but it then suspended its registration amid 'serious safeguarding concerns'.

A council spokesman said: 'When we placed four children from Norfolk at the Kisimul School, it had an outstanding Ofsted. Three young people were still attending when it closed, after safeguarding concerns were raised last month. We have now found them suitable alternative provision.'

See also: Drugs, drink and children going missing - what inspectors found in Norfolk's worst children's homes