Northampton parents hopeful despite sudden school closure

Parents at a school that closed suddenly because of structural concerns say they have confidence in the senior leaders despite the dramatic change.

Buckton Fields Primary School in Northampton is one of three schools in England ordered to shut because of identical safety issues.

The government says it is in the process of launching an investigation into the building contractor.

The school has proposed an alternative plan for teaching next term.

"Making sure the children feel safe and confident is the main thing," said parent teacher association chair Steph Couzens, speaking to BBC Radio Northampton.

"Initially there was a lot of shock, but definitely most people are now feeling more reassured with the information we've been given."

The Preston Hedges Trust plans to bus the 168 pupils from Buckton Fields on a 15-minute journey to its sister school, Pineham Barns Primary School.

It hopes to return children to a temporary building at Buckton Fields after the November half term, although the future of the main structure - which opened two years ago - is more uncertain.

Salina Gendoo-Smith, who has a son in Year Two, was at a school meeting on Wednesday evening.

"It's been a worrying 24 hours. We are really shocked about the news that's come out, but I have to say, I'm very, very, impressed and we have full faith in the trust," said Ms Gendoo-Smith.

"We love the school, we love the staff, so we are totally on board with everything they've got planned to get this all resolved."

The DfE said Caledonian Modular, which fell into administration in 2022, built the Haygrove Secondary School in Somerset, Sir Frederick Gibberd College in Harlow, Essex, and Buckton Fields - all of which were ordered to close their sites.

The government said the defects were already identified at two partially-built Caledonian schools in Cornwall.

The Buckton Fields building was potentially too weak to withstand an adverse weather event such as high winds, the DfE said.

Trust chief executive Paul Watson told the BBC: "We'll work with the DfE to get a resolution as quickly as we can."

A DfE spokesperson has said: "Nothing is more important than the health and safety of pupils and teachers, which is why we assess school buildings regularly to make sure they meet our high standards."

The BBC contacted the insolvency practitioner for Caledonian Modular, which refused to comment, and the construction firm which bought Caledonian was also approached for comment.

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