Cwmcarn High School, closed a year ago after asbestos was found, will not fully reopen until 2014.
The school will reopen partially to some students in December, but will not be fully operational until January. The school had originally planned to reopen in September, but the death of a contractor removing asbestos delayed it.
Initial forecasts suggested the school could reopen in November, but this has now been pushed back.
In a joint statement on the school’s website, headteacher Jacqui Peplinski, and Sandra Aspinall, the council’s acting deputy chief executive, said: “The council and the school leadership were hoping to reopen Cwmcarn High School in early November, following the October half-term holiday, but it is now clear that these additional works will cause a further delay to this timescale.
“Following discussion between the Council, the Head Teacher and Chair of Governors it has been agreed that the school will continue to operate at the Ebbw Vale site while the electrical works are completed at Cwmcarn.
“Depending on progress over the next few weeks, some year groups will hopefully be able to return to the school in early December, but it is anticipated that the school will be fully operational after Christmas.
“We fully understand that this is disappointing news and many pupils, staff and parents will be frustrated by this further delay, but I’m sure you can appreciate that the school must be made safe before it can reopen again.”
We will, of course, keep you fully updated about any developments as we move forward over the coming weeks.
The school shut in October 2012 after the discovery of asbestos by contractors and its 900 pupils have since been taught at Coleg Gwent’s Ebbw Vale campus.
Caerphilly County Borough Council agreed to spend £1 million on removing the asbestos. In July this year contractor James Paul, 26, from Abertillery, was killed at the school while working in a suspended ceiling void.