Schools ordered to shut in Harlow and Northampton may not be safe in high winds, says minister
Two schools built by a failed construction firm have been shut because of fears they could not withstand high winds or heavy snow, a government minister has said.
A college in Essex and a primary school in Northampton, which both opened in 2021, have been told to remain closed for the new school term because of safety fears.
They were both built by Nottinghamshire-based Caledonian Modular, which had been handed contracts to build several schools for the Department for Education, before it went into administration in 2022.
Education minister Nick Gibb said that the DfE had carried out a review which had identified problems with the modular design of the schools - which allows buildings to be pre-fabricated off-site and then assembled quickly.
"[The review] identified issues that related to the structural integrity of the buildings, weakening its ability for example to withstand extreme events such as high winds or a big snowfall or indeed a collision from a vehicle," he told BBC Essex.
Asked if the buildings could collapse because of extreme weather, such as a winter storm, Mr Gibb said: "That's the risk and we are not prepared to take any risk with children, or teachers or staff's lives in a school, and that's why we intervened very quickly."
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Nothing is more important than the health and safety of pupils and teachers, which is why we assess school buildings regularly to make sure they meet our high standards.
“Following surveys conducted at our request, we have identified concerns with building work carried out at Buckton Fields School and Sir Frederick Gibberd by a specific contractor that is no longer in business.
“We are working closely with school leaders on temporary measures to safely accommodate pupils and minimise the disruption to their learning. These will be in place for September and schools will be informing parents of these arrangements this week.”
They added that Caledonian Modular was appointed through a "rigorous assessment" and subject to "continuous monitoring".
Staff and pupils at the £29m Sir Frederick Gibberd College in Harlow told ITV News Anglia that they had seen large cracks growing in the walls of the building, and black mould caused by leaks.
They have warned they face at least two weeks of remote learning when the new term begins in September, while the fate of the school buildings remains unclear.
Primary school pupils at Buckton Fields Primary School in Northampton have also been affected, having been told safety concerns had also been flagged at their building.
They will begin the new term learning at a separate school site, run by the same education trust, and parents have been told it is "highly likely" the building could be closed for up to three years.
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