Building work forces pupils home

A Nottingham school is sending pupils home for two weeks while building work is completed on its new site.

The Emmanuel School is moving to a new building at Gresham Park in Wilford but construction work is running behind schedule because of the summer floods.

Head teacher Carole Fearria said pupils from years seven to 10 would be given work packs to complete at home.

The city council said the situation was not ideal and it would provide any support it could to the school.

Pupils need to move out of their current school building from 16 to 27 June as it has to be demolished to make way for new sports pitches.

I'm not going to apportion any blame Head teacher Carole Fearria

Ms Fearria said: "During the two weeks teachers have got to pack everything up, so in terms of health and safety there would be too many risks associated with that to have all the students around."

She said there would be financial implications for the school if it pulled out of a contract with developers.

"I'm not going to apportion any blame. We are doing our best," she said.

"[We} have worked hard to keep families informed of the progress of the new building and to make sure there was minimum disruption to exam pupils."

The building should have been completed in summer 2007 with pupils starting in the new building in the following autumn term.

Reverend Howard Worsley, director of education for the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham said: "We are sorry for the situation that now impacts on many parents as they are faced with having to make arrangements for their children."