MP calls for funding to replace 'shoddy' school

Haygrove School was declared "unsafe" by the government in 2023

A Somerset MP is calling on the government to allocate funding for the rebuilding of a "shoddy" secondary school on an entirely new site, after £1.4bn was allocated to rebuilding schools in the recent Budget.

Haygrove School, on Durleigh Road, in Bridgwater, was forced to close part of its site in August 2023 due to faulty construction. Since then, lessons have taken place in temporary classrooms.

Sir Ashley Fox, the town's Conservative MP, previously raised the issue at Prime Minister's Questions and at a "sympathetic" meeting with the schools minister, Stephen Morgan.

A spokesperson from Quantock Education Trust, which oversees the school, says they "appreciate" Sir Ashley's efforts.

An inspection by the DfE found Haygrove's main building, which was constructed in 2020 by Caledonian Modular - which went out of business in 2022 - was unsafe due to issues with structural integrity and "poor workmanship".

Its sudden closure led to some children missing lessons or being forced to learn at other sites, ahead of temporary classrooms being installed.

'Push for a solution'

Sir Ashley said the school had faced "considerable upheaval" since then, which was why he believed the site should be rebuilt elsewhere.

"Rebuilding the school on its existing site would cause significant disruption to both pupils and staff," he said.

Despite its partial closure, the school was rated "good" by Ofsted in April, while the school's leadership and management team were rated "outstanding".

As part of her first Budget on 30 October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £1.4bn for the DfE's school rebuilding programme, with a further £2bn for routine maintenance.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Sir Ashley said he remained in close contact with the department and would continue to "push for a solution that will benefit the children and staff of Haygrove for years to come".

"I retain committed to ensuring that Haygrove School gets the new, safe, and modern building it needs," he added.

The Quantock Education Trust spokesperson added: "We are committed to working closely with the Department for Education and the local authority to find a sustainable, purpose-built solution that will benefit students, staff and families of Bridgwater for years to come."