Term start delay for hundreds at two Warwick schools

A "significant area" of Aylesford School will close after issues were found during scheduled work, said its head



The return to school for hundreds of pupils at two senior schools in Warwick has been delayed by safety concerns over building materials.

More than 100 schools have been told to shut areas affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) without safety measures in place.

Myton School has told parents it was among those affected and many pupils could not return until 11 September.

Aylesford School said some building issues were found over the summer.

Andy Perry, head teacher of Myton, which has more than 1,600 pupils, wrote to tell parents its buildings had been inspected and the "results of this require us to delay the start date for your children to return to school".

He said the school expected to lose up to 28 teaching spaces during work, but was expecting confirmation on Monday.

Contingency planning meant the start of term for Year 7 and 12 would be put back from Tuesday to Friday.

He hoped "as many other years as possible" would return to the site on Myton Road on 11 September.

And Aylesford School, which has about 1,200 pupils, said it would only open for Year 7 from Monday and Year 12 on Wednesday.

The school's website said contractors carrying out scheduled work had found a "number of issues that will need immediate specialist attention".

Head teacher Tim Hodgson did not confirm the nature of these but told parents: "It is well known that many school buildings built in the 1960s were constructed using methods and materials that would not be used today.

"To ensure the safety of everyone in our school community, we have been forced to close a significant area of the school whilst work continues to resolve all the issues."

Mr Hodgson said he hoped to reopen the senior school fully on 11 September, but would update parents this week.

The primary school at the site in Tapping Way was built in 2015 and is not affected. It will reopen on Tuesday.

Warwickshire pupils 'abandoned' over school buildings



Families with children out of school for weeks due to unsafe buildings said they felt "abandoned" by the government.

Thousands are learning remotely because of the risk posed by Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

The unstable concrete has been found in at least 174 schools and colleges, the government said, with an update due when Parliament reconvenes.

"Our children need certainty," said Judith, mum to 13-year-old Taran.

Taran goes to Aylesford School in Warwick, which has been shut to year 8 and 9 pupils since the start of term.

"At first, Taran thought it was great," said Judith. "[Now] he feels that he's being punished because his friends around him, who don't go to Aylesford, are having an education and he isn't."

She believes remote learning is affecting her son's behaviour, citing an instance of him overreacting when she suggested hiring a tutor.

"He was slamming doors, he was screaming, he was crying - just not like him at all," she said.

"They need to get year eights having some face-to-face contact with their peers and their teachers, because it's just unacceptable and we've got no idea how long this is going to go on.

"I'm not blaming anyone but it's not good enough."

Judith said Taran was so fed up he wanted to leave, but her efforts to find a new school had been fruitless.

"I've even reached out as far as Alcester [15 miles away] and all the year eights are full. So we're stuck," she said.

Taran said his feelings had changed since the start of term.

"I thought it was good [at first] because I would have more time off school but it's got a bit boring now," he said.

"I miss seeing my friends."

Aylesford is on a government complex cases list, after initial investigations led to the discovery of asbestos in buildings.

This additional discovery will aggravate the work to deal with the concrete problems if it is confirmed Raac was used in the buildings' construction.

Head teacher Tim Hodgson said the school had inherited a "heart-breaking situation", with serious issues in a significant proportion of its buildings.

He is working with the Department for Education and it is hoped once temporary classrooms are in place, all pupils will be back on rota after half term.

Warwick Aylesford School closure 'like being in lockdown'



Building issues at a Warwick school have left families feeling like they are "in lockdown", one parent has said.

Pupils at Aylesford School are yet to return full time because of asbestos and suspected reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

Some are being home-schooled, while others are alternating between home and the classroom.

The school said half of the site remained closed but temporary classrooms were being installed.

Hundreds of schools across the country have been affected by the presence of Raac, because of safety concerns surrounding the material.

However, many of those schools have seen a return to full-time face-to-face education.

Siobhan McKenna [pictured] said her daughter, who is in Year 10 at Aylesford, recently started going back to the classroom two or three days a week.

Ms McKenna told BBC CWR: "It has been really awful watching your child become demotivated, demoralised and unhappy.

"It has been a horrible term. It is like being in lockdown but on our own in lockdown, because the rest of the world is carrying on without us."

She said her daughter was effectively "expected to teach herself" when at home and that the situation was having an impact on students' exam preparations.

Ms McKenna and other parents are now calling on exam boards to be more lenient to affected children in years 10 and 11 who are due to sit their GCSEs.

Tim Hodgson, head teacher at Aylesford School, said the school was "not in any way responsible" for the issues, but said they were "totally committed to solving the problems that have been inherited".

It is hoped that all children can return to face-to-face learning when work on 22 temporary classrooms has finished.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: "All pupils at Aylesford School will be in face-to-face learning by the end of term.

"We will always endeavour to work with schools to continue with face-to-face learning but pupil and staff safety must come first."