A head teacher has apologised to parents for closing a secondary school for an extra fortnight while it moves to new buildings on its site.

The majority of pupils at Beckfoot School, Bingley, have been told to stay at home for ten school days before it re-opens in the new premises on Monday, June 20.

The school is one of four in the Bradford district to be re-built under the second and final phase of Bradford Council’s £236 million Building Schools for the Future programme.

Phase three was cancelled last summer when the Government froze the programme.

A school website post by Beckfoot head teacher David Horn says: “As you know, the school will be closed (apart from exams) for ten school days prior to the June 20. “We have to have this time to pack and unpack from the old school into the new. We are very grateful for your support and understanding with this, and appreciate fully the disruption this will cause you.”

Completion dates for the new buildings, which are also being constructed for Hanson School and Grange Technology College in Bradford and University Academy, Keighley, had to be revised last year after a blunder by contractors delayed building work.

The University Academy’s new building will be ready for use from Wednesday, May 4. No dates have yet been given for the opening of the new Hanson School and Grange Technology College.

Cindy Peek, Bradford Council’s deputy director of children’s services, said: “All revised opening arrangements have been planned in close consultation with head teachers and chairs of governors.

“Moving the schools inevitably involves some limited closure, but this is minimal, and done at the least disruptive times.

“Our priority is to ensure that arrangements fit around exam schedules and the needs of the schools and pupils.”

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