MP demands school rebuild after safety concerns

Haygrove School's main building was closed after it was found to be structurally unsafe

An MP is demanding the urgent rebuilding of a secondary school, so its pupils and teachers no longer have to work in temporary classrooms.

Last December, Haygrove School in Bridgwater, Somerset, discovered its main building was unsafe due to faulty construction and was forced to close it immediately.

On Wednesday, Conservative MP, Ashley Fox, called for immediate action during Prime Minister's Questions.

The school minister Stephen Morgan is now set to visit the condemned site to determine whether it is suitable for development or if a new plot will need to be found nearby.

The condemned building remains wrapped in scaffolding and plastic

An inspection by the Department for Education (DfE) found Haygrove's main building, which was constructed in 2020 by Caledonian Modular, 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.

A spokesperson for Haygrove School said: "We are really pleased that the schools minister would like to visit Haygrove School and see first-hand the unique situation that our students and staff are experiencing.

"Whilst we have excellent temporary accommodation that allows our students to continue learning, we know that this isn't a long-term solution.

"Our families deserve more certainty and we would welcome any support and reassurance about the future for Haygrove that Mr Morgan will be able to provide."

Students at Haygrove School have been learning in temporary buildings since the closure

Mr Fox wants the new building to be relocated to a different site for safety grounds, as he believes removing the main block with children on site would be impractical and "intolerable".

"The site is quite a small site at the moment, and of course you've got the condemned building in the middle of it, wrapped in plastic," he said.

"If the minister said to rebuild on the same site, you'd have to knock that old building down and build a new school while the pupils continue to be educated. I think that's completely the wrong decision."

Mr Fox says it would be "regrettable" if students were to spend their entire education at the school in temporary classrooms

The Prime Minister acknowledged the "seriousness of the situation" facing staff and pupils, and said the DfE are "pursuing all available avenues" to find a solution.

In a statement, the DfE said: “We are committed to delivering a long-term solution for Haygrove School, and are working at pace with the Local Authority to progress this while minimising disruption for the children, parents and teachers affected.”