Asbestos-hit school closure to continue

A Staffordshire school closed after pupils were exposed to dangerous asbestos fibres will stay closed until after next month's Sats exams after Staffordshire County Council education bosses refused to give a specific reopening date.

Glenthorne Primary School, Cheslyn Hay, has been closed since February after it emerged workers disturbed asbestos insulation board fibres while removing a book cupboard in the nursery where children were present. It happened the day before half-term but parents were not told until a week later.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation has been launched and the council could be prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work Act or the Control of Asbestos Regulations.

A letter has gone to parents of 178 pupils saying the school will stay closed until after the Easter holidays and is unlikely to re-open until after the Sats exams at the start of May.

The closure has been caused because the council has had to spend thousands of pounds stripping the school of any materials or objects which could harbour the asbestos fibres.

Since the closure pupils have gone to Cheslyn Hay Primary and Boney Hay Primary – more seven miles away.

Council spokesman Richard Caddy, said: "We have written to parents to explain that the current arrangements with Cheslyn Hay Primary School and Boney Hay Primary School will continue until after the Easter holidays.

"The school won't reopen at the start of May as we don't want to move the children during their Sats exams. We don't want to disrupt them with moving buildings at that important time.

"The school will reopen when it is ready." Asbestos Insulation Board fibres are among the most high-risk asbestos materials.

The HSE has confirmed the exposure has caused a limited risk to the children.