PARENTS have spoken of their frustrations after a Bradford sent a whole Key Stage home until next week. 

Yesterday Saltaire Primary School, on Albert Road, closed to Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 pupils until Monday, January 9 due to a boiler malfunction.

Remote learning has been provided to the school’s 240 Key Stage 2 pupils since yesterday.

Bradford Council says the problem was first reported before the recent Christmas break.

But the boiler manufacturer has only been able to attend today. 

They are set to carry out an interim repair before a replacement can be made during the school holidays.

One parent said: "It's outrageous that so many kids are off school because of the Council's incompetence. Kids once again come bottom of the pile. 

Another said: "This is causing so much disruption to our children’s learning and parents' work lives."

One parent claimed children had to wear coats indoors and eat their dinner from desks before the Christmas break.

A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “We do understand the frustration caused by the school having no option but to take the difficult decision to have a partial school closure and we also recognise the disruption this causes to both parents and children; however, the health and safety of children and staff is paramount.

“Colleagues in the Council’s Built Environment Team have been working with the school since the boiler problems were first reported, shortly before the Christmas break.

"Unfortunately, the boiler could not be repaired during the Christmas break as the earliest date the boiler manufacturer could attend the school was the first week of January and this is still the case.

“The boiler manufacturer is attending the site today (January 5) and is due to carry out an interim repair, so that the heating system can be restored to full operational use so children and staff can return to their classrooms.

"The Council is arranging for a full boiler replacement to be carried out at the earliest possible opportunity and the Council has also identified emergency funding to support the school so that the boiler replacement can be carried out promptly.

"This replacement will need to be undertaken in a school holiday so as not to impact further on the operation of the school. 

“Council colleagues within Education and Learning are continuing to work closely with the school’s leadership team.

“The Council and school are working together to resolve this issue as soon as possible.”