School’s Mobile Classrooms

PUPILS at Hockley Primary School will return to mobile classrooms as the school addresses the safety concerns that led to its temporary closure by the Department for Education in June.

The closure of the school, located in Chevening Gardens, was prompted by worries regarding the presence of a building material known as Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC). While this material was commonly used in construction from the 1950s to the 1980s, it is now considered a potential risk to building safety.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that RAAC had been used in the school’s ceiling during its construction. Consequently, in response to the closure, the students were temporarily relocated to neighbouring schools.

Some year groups were accommodated at Greensward Academy, while others were placed at Plumberow Primary Academy.

In the interim, a thorough engineering survey has been underway to assess whether the school can be repaired or if it will need to be reconstructed entirely. However, the results of this survey are yet to be disclosed.

As a proactive measure to ensure the continuation of education, mobile classrooms will be set up for the pupils when they return in September.

This arrangement will provide a safe and suitable learning environment until a more permanent solution is determined for Hockley Primary School.

Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mark Francois, who has been actively lobbying Education Ministers in support of the school, welcomed the good news.

Commenting, he said: “I am very pleased for pupils, parents, and staff at Hockley Primary that both mine and Academies Enterprise Trust’s representations have been successful and that eight new, high-standard, mobile classrooms will now be provided.

“These classrooms, which should expand in number to 12 by mid-October, are a modern, effective design, far removed from the often windy ‘demountable’ which some people may remember from the 1970s and 80s.

“These new classrooms will help to bridge the gap while we await the results of detailed engineering surveys, which should help indicate whether Hockley Primary can be successfully and safely repaired, or whether the school will eventually have to be rebuilt.

“In the meantime, I would like to commend pupils and parents for their patience, but also all those at Academies Enterprise Trust who have worked so hard to provide a continuance of education for Hockley pupils in this challenging situation, they have done a great job.”

Picture: Mr Francois at a recent meeting with the AET Regional Schools Director and the headteachers of Greensward, Hockley Primary School and Plumberow Primary Academy.

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