Further security measures are in place at the Humboldthain primary school in the Wedding district of Berlin, local paper Der Tagesspiegel reported. Anyone entering the school has to press a buzzer and be allowed in by staff.

The man entered the girls’ toilets in the school at 10am on March 1, bolted the door, undressed an eight-year-old girl who had left her lesson to use the toilet, and sexually abused her.

Teachers quickly realised something was wrong and scared the man away, but he escaped without anyone getting a clear look at him.

Parents and pupils were told about the attack later that day by the police, who urged them not to allow their children to come to school alone. The police decided not to inform the public until Wednesday for strategic reasons.

Mums and dads of the 400 pupils at the school quickly organised round-the-clock surveillance, and city education authorities confirmed that security measures would be improved over the Easter holidays, funded by the district council.

“Money is not important in a case like this,” said District Mayor Christian Hanke, adding that new locks were an “investment in violence prevention.”

Reactions amongst their parents have been mixed, according to the Tagesspiegel.

“Ideally I would remove my child from the school,” one parent told the newspaper.

Others expressed approval of how the school has handled the attack, and the speed with which they were told about it.

Police are searching for a man around 30 years old, with dark blonde or brown hair who was wearing blue jeans and a grey sweater at the time of the incident.

The girl is receiving care from child therapists.

The Local/jcw