Parents worry shut Haygrove School will mean remote learning

Parents fear their children may have to learn online due to safety concerns over a school building.

Haygrove School in Bridgwater is having temporary classrooms installed as its main building cannot be used, but work has only just started.

Dawn Sanders, whose 15-year-old son is going into his GCSE year, said the situation was "absolutely disgusting".

The Somerset school, which was built in 2020, said it was doing "everything possible" to avoid remote learning.

The school, part of Quantock Education Trust (QET), said they were "keeping all contingency options open at this stage".

A spokesperson apologised for the inconvenience caused but said the situation was beyond their control.

The Department for Education (DfE) said two other schools built by Caledonian Modular - Buckton Fields Primary School, and Sir Frederick Gibberd College - have been advised not to reopen because of structural irregularities.

"The poor children. Their education is absolutely going downhill fast. They've had enough time out as it is with Covid," said Ms Sanders.

A window came out in the school while pupils were there before the Summer holidays.

"It's just appalling really. Why has [health and safety] just come to light now?," said Ms Sanders.

"That could have come down on the children at any time."

She does not want her son to have to start his final year at home.

"What children are going to stay in on a nice day and do Zoom for their work? Their education is going to go down further."

Kirsty Ward's 11-year-old son Mason is due to start at the school in September and she is worried about his education.

"It's all up in the air. We'd like to know a bit more information."

Former teacher and school inspector David Dickinson worked at the facility 20 years ago.

He is worried poor building standards highlighted at Haygrove will put teachers off working there.

"Actually retaining them and giving them a good quality of career start is impaired when suddenly they're told, 'Sorry about this, but the place doesn't really function properly."

A DfE spokesperson explained they were "working closely with school leaders on temporary measures to safely accommodate pupils and minimise the disruption to their learning".

They said earlier in the year, two other schools built by Caledonian Modular - Newquay Primary Academy and Launceston Primary School - were demolished before construction was completed.

The construction company has since gone into administration.

The DfE spokesperson continued: "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.

"Following surveys conducted at our request, we have identified concerns with building work carried out at Haygrove School by a specific contractor that is no longer in business."

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