Return to Blue School in Wells delayed by concrete problem

Pupils were due to return to Blue School on Tuesday

Pupils will not be returning to the classroom at the start of term due to "significant cracking" in a school's concrete floors.

Parents were sent a letter earlier, telling them Blue School in Wells had been forced to shut 20 classrooms.

Head teacher Mark Woodlock said it could be "significantly longer" than February half-term until all pupils could return to the Somerset site.

Investigation work at the school started over the summer.

"Our hope is that we can find ways to reduce the number of students absent," Mr Woodlock added.

Mark Woodlock said investigation work uncovered a "major problem"

An initial investigation of Blue School's site was started after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found at hundreds of schools around the country.

Although no Raac was found, the structural investigation of the Kennion block at Blue School - built in the 1950s - uncovered a "major problem".

A structural engineer found "significant cracking" amongst all of the concrete floors and was concerned about the design of the concrete flooring joists themselves.

The letter to parents said the loss of 20 classrooms roughly equated to the number of rooms required for more than two year groups at any one point.

Areas of the school have been cordoned off

The school will remain closed on Tuesday, when pupils were due to return.

From Wednesday to Friday, Years 7 and 8 will remain at home. The school said "some generic tasks will be set for those students", but it would not be able to deliver online lessons.

In the week starting 8 January, Years 9 and 10 will stay at home, but the school hopes to be able to provide online lessons by this time.

'Questions need answering'

"I strongly suspect that beyond this point we will continue to need individual year groups to stay at home on a rolling basis," Mr Woodlock said.

"With the majority of people away for the Christmas break, there are still many questions that need answering.

"My feeling at present is that it will be a surprise if we can bring all of the school back on site before February half-term and it could easily be significantly longer than that.

"I say that not with great certainty because of the need for further investigations, but primarily to help manage expectations," he added.