Asbestos closure: Rochford head teacher wants exam exemptions

Jonathan Osborn said he understood the frustration from parents

The head teacher of a school that has been closed because of asbestos removal has suggested his students should be given dispensation with exams grades.

The King Edmund School in Rochford, Essex, closed on 15 November when asbestos was found during demolition.

The Department for Education has pushed reopening back until at least 23 January and said work was being completed "as quickly as possible".

Jonathan Osborn said he felt a "great deal of frustration".

"It's patently clear that the situation [the students] find themselves in, through no fault of their own, will have an ongoing impact and will make a difference to how they're able to engage with their exams, and that needs to be taken into account," he said.

"What adjustments can [the DfE] make that will be fair and reasonable for students so that the work they've put in is recognised in terms of the grades that they get?"

King Edmund School has roughly 1,570 pupils aged 11 to 19

A new block is being built at the site - funded by the DfE's 10-year rebuilding plan for schools in England

Contractors have been preparing for a multimillion-pound new two-storey block that will include new classrooms, a new school hall, dining room and courtyard.

Since the asbestos discovery during demolition of the old school block, students have been taught online.

Rochford District Council opened an old railway building that the school hoped to use to give face-to-face teaching to about 30 pupils - primarily those with special educational needs.

Essex County Council was also locating spare classrooms at neighbouring schools that may be used for students in the new year.

There are roughly 1,570 pupils at the school.

Rochford District Council has offered Freight House to give support to roughly 30 students

The school has thanked parents for their "patience and support" during a "challenging time"

Mr Osborn said a plan would be emailed to parents by the end of December.

"The reality of it is, the material does need to be removed and the site does need to be safe," said Mr Osborn, speaking to BBC Essex.

Mark Francois, the Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, said he discussed the closure with the government's schools minister Nick Gibb on Thursday.

"We're talking about hundreds of tonnes of material - this is no small amount of rubble," said Mr Francois.

'Proper answers'

Andrea Kirk, whose niece attends the school, claimed some parents were cutting their work hours and using annual leave in order to look after their children.

She said: "The silence from the DfE to the parents has been absolutely deafening.

"There has been no public meeting arranged for the parents.

"They need proper answers and reassurances."

A DfE spokesman said the icy weather had delayed important testing and said it was working with other schools and the county council on "ensuring as many pupils as possible benefit from face-to-face learning".

"We are continuing to push for the works to be completed as quickly as possible," he added.