King Edmund School in Rochford finds closer alternative after asbestos closure

Pupils due to be transported 24 miles (39km) from their school because of ongoing asbestos removal work have been offered a closer alternative.

The King Edmund School in Rochford, Essex, suddenly closed on 15 November.

Year 11 and Year 13 pupils were to be taken to Gaynes School in Upminster, east London for in-person lessons.

King Edmund's head teacher, Jonathan Osborn, said the school had now been offered the use of a separate part of Cecil Jones Academy in Southend.

Contractors discovered asbestos while tearing down an old building to make way for a multimillion-pound two-storey block.

The school's 1,570 students have since been taught mostly via online video link but the school said it had worked with the Department for Education (DfE) over the Christmas and New Year period to find suitable face-to-face provision for students taking their final exams this year.

It was preparing to use Gaynes School as it was the nearest with "the potential to allow face-to-face learning" but it was found there would not be enough space with the relevant IT.

The school said it was offered space at Cecil Jones earlier this week and had been "working at speed" to make the arrangements.

In a letter to parents, Mr Osborn said: "The significant advantage of this is that travel time there is minimal, which means all lessons will be normal length - we will continue to follow the normal school day."

He added that students would be transported the 4.6 miles (7.4km) on coaches, use a separate entrance from Cecil Jones students and arrive before the start of their school day.

In addition, students who would like support with online learning could go to space at the Freight House in Bradley Way or the Holiday Inn, near Southend Airport.

The head said he had raised concerns about the exam process and would be meeting with exams regulator Ofqual later in January.

"What we are hoping to do is to make sure the exam boards and Ofqual are fully aware of the uniqueness of this situation and the challenges that students have had and it is then very much up to them to work out what the right solution is," he told the BBC.

Pupils are due to return to their school on 23 January.

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