By Ross Lydall

Copyright standard

Six people have been arrested by police investigating late-night vandalism attacks on two primary schools that caused more than £200,000 of damage.

Brunswick Park Primary and Nursery School in Barnet was targeted on four occasions in April and nearby Church Hill Primary School was hit twice.

The Standard has been told that two other primary schools in the borough, Tudor and Manorside, also suffered vandalism, though it is not known if these attacks were linked.

The attackers, who used stones and a hammer to break dozens of windows, were caught on CCTV but their identities were disguised by balaclavas.

It is thought two teenage boys were involved – one who smashed the windows as his accomplice acted as a look-out.

A Metropolitan police spokeswoman told The Standard: “Officers have been investigating reports of criminal damage to a number of primary schools in Barnet.

“A number of windows were smashed at four schools in the borough in March and May.

“An investigation is ongoing by local officers and four men and two women have been arrested in connection with the matter. They were later released under investigation and on bail.”

In May, The Standard revealed the full extent of the damage to Church Hill school, which left young children being taught in classrooms with the windows boarded up.

One parent raised £3,290 by setting up a JustGiving online donations page after the school was forced to spend more than £6,000 on security measures to prevent further attacks.

In July, The Standard published an in-depth investigation revealing about 50 hammer attacks on shops across London, including the clothing stores Toast, Zadig & Voltaire, Balibaris and American Vintage, and the gift shop Scribbler.

All used the same window glazing business to repair the damage. When approached by The Standard, the firm’s boss vehemently denied any involvement in the damage to the shop windows.

Church Hill primary, in Burlington Rise, east Barnet, said it was first targeted over the Easter holidays.

Prior to that, Brunswick Park – which is in the same school federation as Church Hill – was vandalised on four occasions.

Jo Porter, head of school at Church Hill, told The Standard in May that there had been “six acts of very significant vandalism”.

She added: “It’s upsetting for the staff and it’s horribly upsetting for the children and our local community.”

The repair bill following the first attack at Church Hill was an “absolutely heartbreaking” £57,000, Miss Porter said. The second attack caused £42,000 of damage.

The school’s insurers will cover both bills but say they will not pay out for any further damage under £50,000.

“Inevitably what this means is that we will have to use some of the money that would normally be used for the curriculum and schooling for security,” she said.

In July, about 45 volunteers helped to give Church Hill a makeover to prepare it for the new school year.