Two schools built by the same failed construction company have been ordered to close almost-new buildings by the government due to safety fears, potentially delaying the start of term for their pupils.
Sir Frederick Gibberd College, a free school in Harlow, Essex, was told to close its main building and sports hall site with “immediate effect” on Sunday after Department for Education-commissioned technical reports found “various serious issues”.
Haygrove School, a converter academy in Bridgwater, Somerset, has now also announced it has been told to close its main building, following technical investigations “over the past few weeks”.
Contracts worth £38 million for both buildings were awarded to Caledonian Modular in 2019 under the DfE’s £3 billion “modern methods of construction” framework – touted as the “next step in the evolution of offsite construction of school buildings”.
