Pupils return to Haygrove School which has unsafe building

Haygrove School's main building has been declared unsafe by government inspectors

Students are starting to return to a school which had its main building declared unsafe earlier this summer.

The start of term was delayed for pupils at Haygrove School in Bridgwater after government inspectors said the site was not safe to be used.

Year 11 students are returning on Thursday morning and those in year 10 will be taught at Bridgwater and Taunton College from 18 September.

Headteacher Aaron Reid said it could be months before all pupils are back.

He added that they are working "incredibly hard" to try to get all pupils back into classrooms but the priority is making sure the site is safe.

Haygrove School's main building was constructed just three years ago but following assessments it has been wrapped and scaffold erected around it.

It is a separate issue to the 156 schools in England affected by aerated concrete.

Parent Fiona Baker, who has children in years 11 and seven, said: "I'm frustrated and can't believe the situation we are in.

"I think my eldest is a bit confused about the whole thing, he enjoys going to school but it's really disruptive and makes it difficult to focus on what they should be doing, which is their education.

"He's got his GCSE exams and he needs to focus on doing that."

Ms Baker added that her daughter, who had been due to start year seven, is disappointed that the new term had been delayed.

"I think it's very difficult for my daughter because they were so excited to finish primary school.

"Some of her friends go to different schools and they've already started. They settled into a routine and meanwhile we don't know what it will be like," she said.

Emma Withnell has children in years 11 and nine at the school

Emma Withnell also has two children at the school.

She said: "There's also a level of fear. They don't know what to expect and whether they're actually safe to be on site."

There is currently no date for a return to the classroom for other year groups which are currently online learning.

Ms Withnell added: "The problem with that is that they are assuming everyone has the ability and facilities to be able to do those things they've set.

"Not everyone is going to have the same access to those things at home."

The firm that constructed the building, Caledonian Modular, went out of business in 2022, prompting the Department for Education (DfE) to check the safety of the site and several other schools.

Two other schools built by Caledonian Modular were demolished before construction was completed and two others have been advised not to reopen because of structural irregularities, said the DfE.

The DfE cannot say whether the school can be repaired or if the building will have to be torn down and replaced .

A spokesperson said: "We are working closely with school leaders on temporary measures to safely accommodate pupils and minimise the disruption to their learning."