Paedophile teacher Nigel Leat was allowed to abuse children in his class for years – despite a catalogue of complaints.

Leat, 52, who taught at Hillside First School in Worle, was jailed for an indefinite term after admitting a total of 36 offences against five girls – some as young as six – on school property from September 2006 to July 2010.

But yesterday it emerged there could be as many as 40 victims.

The review found there had been 30 recorded incidents of Leat behaving in an inappropriate or unprofessional manner. Only 11 of the 30 incidents were reported to the school’s headteacher, Chris Hood.

On other occasions colleagues warned him about his behaviour.

None of the allegations was formally investigated by the school and governors were not notified.

The former musician, who started working at the school in 1995, was arrested at the school in December 2010 after a parent disclosed to a teacher that Leat had been touching her daughter indecently on almost a daily basis.

The crimes he was convicted of included one count of attempted rape, eight sexual assaults by penetration and 23 further sexual assaults.

Father-of-two Leat also admitted charges of voyeurism; causing or inciting a child aged under 13 to engage in a sexual act; possessing more than 30,000 indecent photographs and movies of children, and possessing extreme pornography.

Within days of learning of abuse allegations, North Somerset Safeguarding Children Board launched an independent review, the findings of which were published yesterday.

And although a series of recommendations have been put in place, board chairman, Tony Oliver, said he could not guarantee similar incidents would not happen.

Mr Oliver said: “I find the fact the incidents were not acted upon incredible. There was a failure at every level within the school. But I cannot say that it will never happen again.”

It is understood that over his 15 years at the school, Leat, of Brislington, could have assaulted up to 40 victims – some of whom may have now left the school and are still to come forward.

The review looked at what happened and what measures could be taken to prevent it happening again.

Mr Oliver said: “The failure of the school to take action in response to concerns raised was compounded by the failure of the school to recognise that Nigel Leat’s behaviour may have constituted grooming for sexual abuse.

“There was a lamentable failure to create an environment in which the needs of the child were paramount.”

Headteacher Chris Hood was sacked in December last year. No further action is being taken against him.

Mr Oliver said: “Nigel Leat, and Nigel Leat alone, was responsible for this criminal behaviour at Hillside First School. There is absolutely no suggestion that anyone other than him was involved in these offences.”

Ofsted inspectors also failed to identify any issues at the school during a visit in 2009, with inspectors noting how ‘pupils felt exceptionally safe and secure’.

The report added: “Parents of children at the school rightly expected their children would be cared for and kept safe. Procedures were not followed and this prevented the correct action from being taken.

“Concerns were not followed up and this led to children not being protected from Nigel Leat. This was a gross failure of responsibility.”

The serious case review made 32 recommendations which will now be implemented.