Harlow school delays classroom teaching again over safety work

Teaching at a secondary school that closed its main building over safety risks will not resume for two weeks.

Sir Frederick Gibberd College (SFG) first delayed the start of term last month over concerns the building could not withstand an extreme weather event.

Year 8-11 pupils at the Harlow school were due to return to lessons on Monday but will now move to remote learning.

But students in Year 7 have been bused to neighbouring Mark Hall Academy to continue their face-to-face lessons.

SFG's main building was forced to close after being open to students for less than two years over concerns it could collapse in an extreme event like heavy snow or high winds.

Writing in a letter to parents, Helena Mills, CEO of BMAT Education, the trust that runs the school, said: "This is a very big change and one we would not make unless we had to, but it is clear that the safeguarding and welfare of the children must come first.

"The Department for Education (DfE) is ultimately responsible for the buildings on site, and the move to online learning will give their contractors the necessary time to ensure that the facilities for our school are safe and fit for purpose from the winter onwards."

She wrote: "It is our ambition to reopen the school site for face-to-face learning on Monday 13 November."

The school said it would update parents on its progress by the end of this week.

Mark Ingall, a former Harlow Council leader and a parent of children who attend SFG, said: "My daughter is missing too much school and like so many other parents, our employers are losing patience because we are missing too much work".

FSG closed the main building and sports hall in August this year following advice from the DfE and concerns over its "modular mode of construction".

On 14 September, SFG announced that pupils had returned to temporary buildings on site, although Year 7 pupils were transported via bus to BMAT sister school Mark Hall Academy.

The school's building contractor, Caledonian Modular, went into administration in March 2022.

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