More school buildings checked after safety fears

Around 1,700 pupils are being bussed to alternative schools

More schools are being checked for potential structural defects after a primary school's ceiling partially collapsed.

The investigations, in Newcastle and Northumberland, come after safety concerns at four schools in North Tyneside.

The problems there came to light before Christmas, after lump of concrete fell through a section of ceiling at Fordley Primary school in Annitsford.

It has led to a number of partial school closures in North Tyneside.

The affected schools in North Tyneside are Churchill Academy in Wallsend, Grasmere Academy in Killingworth and Hazlewood Primary in Wideopen.

Around 1,700 pupils are being bussed to alternative schools or being taught at home while safety checks continue.

North Tyneside Council said the issue is not related to problems with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) which have affected buildings nationwide.

More checks elsewhere

A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said the council were "aware" of the reported issues in other local authority areas and were "working with specialist technical colleagues to identify if there may be similar concerns in Newcastle".

A spokesperson for Northumberland County Council said the council were aware of the types of buildings that could be affected.

"No schools are closed but we will be surveying those that fall within scope to see what, if any action, needs to be taken going forward," the spokesperson added.

South Tyneside Council said no issues had been raised during inspections last year, but that it would be reviewing the information from North Tyneside to see if it needed to "check" any schools again.

No issues had been identified at Middlesbrough schools, the council said.

The Department for Education is " working closely" with North Tyneside Council and their structural engineers.

A spokesperson added: “Where construction issues in schools arise, we work closely with responsible bodies to ensure that the issue is thoroughly investigated and mitigated, and that all steps are taken to minimise disruption to pupil learning.”