THE alleged sexual assault of a seven-year-old girl by classmates at a Soshanguve school could have been avoided had teachers taken action earlier.

Sowetan reliably learnt yesterday that the school principal had in August invited the police to address parents after teachers received complaints from pupils who claimed to have been assaulted.

It is also understood that one of the boys allegedly involved in the latest incident was one of those cited for behaving inappropriately.

The alleged victim's mother yesterday said her daughter may have fallen victim to a similar assault once before at the school.

A social worker visited her home on Tuesday night and, after a brief talk with the girl, concluded that she and other pupils were possibly sexually assaulted.

It is understood that social workers will return to the school when it reopens on October 12 to interview other pupils.

The address in August by Sergeant Zodwa Maphanaga, of the Rietgat police social crime office which deals with domestic violence and sexual assault, came barely a month before the latest incident in which four boys allegedly cornered a girl in a classroom, undressed and fondled her.

"The school called us in to address them because pupils had complained about being (sexually) assaulted," Maphanaga said.

"We told parents to be careful of their behaviour around children because children would act out what they saw from them."

It is still not clear whether there was actual vaginal penetration but the girl allegedly confirmed this when the matter was reported to the police last week.

According to the mother, the girl - using a sexually explicit vernacular word - told police that the boys "raped" her.

A medical report indicates the girl sustained injuries to the vulva.

Meanwhile, Gauteng education department head Boy Ngobeni has ordered a full-scale investigation into the school's handling of the incident, spokesperson Charles Phalhane said.

"He will also send a team of social workers to provide support to the family."