Warwickshire pupils 'abandoned' over school buildings

Year 8 pupil Taran is frustrated about home learning, mum Judith says

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.

'He feels he's being punished'

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.

The Department for Education said some affected schools had turned to offering part-time teaching

"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."

Complex case

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.

Siobhan McKenna's daughter is now back at Aylesford two to three days a week

Siobhan McKenna's 14-year-old daughter returned to Aylesford, on a rotational basis last Tuesday, for the first time this academic year.

While relieved to have her back part-time, Ms McKenna said she was concerned for the future after years of upheaval caused by Covid and teacher strikes.

'My heart goes out'

"I just feel absolutely gutted for this year 10 cohort in particular," she said. "They've just had the most horrendous school experience.

"[My daughter] has already missed the first half of this term. My heart goes out to them all because, how are they going to catch up?

"There's just nothing in the media about this - there's no reassurance that their exam will be marked with lenience."

Ms McKenna said she could not understand why other schools in the area had not opened their doors to GCSE cohorts, to allow them use of practical facilities such as laboratories which they currently have no access to.

Aylesford School hopes to have all children back in school on a rotational basis by November

"What kind of practical lessons can they do in those [temporary buildings]?" she said. "I don't understand why the DfE is not swooping in and helping out.

"We just feel completely abandoned," she said.

"I'm a single parent, trying to do a full-time job and keep her on an even keel and it's really, really hard not to be able to help."

'Put mitigations in place'

The Department for Education said its primary concern was pupil and staff safety.

"We know this will be a difficult time for parents and pupils, which is why we will continue to work with the schools affected to support them to put mitigations in place," a spokesperson said.

With the long-term future for Aylesford still uncertain, Mr Hodgson said they were working closely with the DfE and contractors and had been in regular contact with parents.

"We are very clear that our priority is to have all our students back in school as soon as possible," he said.