School closures: Warwick secondary further delays term for most pupils

Parts of Aylesford School would remain closed after issues were found during inspections, the headteacher said

A school has had to further delay the start of term for some pupils due to safety concerns over building materials.

Aylesford School in Warwick had planned to reopen to all pupils on Tuesday but said it was unable to do so after a fresh inspection.

The secondary school added that in addition to "potential Raac issues", asbestos had also been discovered.

"This is not the start to the term we had planned," it said.

While arrangements for Years 7 and 12 would continue from next week, the school explained, other pupils would be moved to remote learning until further notice.

Aylesford has about 1,200 pupils.

Raac, or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, was used in building projects between the 1950s and 1990s, but, prone to crumbling, it has a shorter lifespan than more durable material.

When a Raac beam collapsed at a school earlier this summer, buildings with the substance were marked as potentially dangerous and ordered to close unless safety measures could be put in place.

The government has named 147 schools that need to shut buildings amid safety concerns.

In a letter on Aylesford's website, headteacher Tim Hodgson said to parents: "Please be assured that the team and I are working hard to overcome these challenges and the disruption which has been caused to our students and families."