Children at a Penhill school are being turned away from lessons because cracks have been found in the classrooms.

About 270 pupils at Seven Fields Primary School will have to do their work at home for a week at a time until the end of term.

Acting headteacher Stewart Smith said a rolling programme was being introduced at the special measures school whereby classes would take turns to stay at home.

Mr Smith, who was drafted in two months ago to turn the school around, said: "I have been looking at the state of the building with the architects since I started and we discovered the cracks.

"The building itself is safe but there are reinforcements under concrete trusses and metal poles, which might not be.

"Metal jacks have been put in the middle of all the affected classrooms, going from the floor up to the ceiling.

"As a result, the classrooms are not conducive to teaching. It is not a safe learning environment for children."

Makeshift classrooms have been created in the school hall and the information technology suite but there is not enough room to house all nine classes.

Reception pupils were yesterday sent home, and will do half-days only for the rest of the week.

Years Four and Five were at home today and will not return to school until Monday, just as pupils in Year Six will start their week of home education.

Mr Smith said: "We are in negotiations at the moment with a school which has a spare classroom.

"There is a distinct possibility we will be able to use that for some of our classes, but it would not be fair to say too much more at this stage.

"The teachers whose classes have been sent home will use the spare time to prepare for September and visit other schools to help plan for next year.

"We have to be prepared for the inspectors' visit next school year to get out of special measures."

One father, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was disgusted at the closure and said it would play havoc with his five-year-old's education.

The 35-year-old machine operator said: "My daughter has been progressing really well this year but this could really make a change.

"It's absolutely ridiculous. No one knew anything about it. Everyone's been kept in the dark.

"Parents were just being turned away when they turned up in the morning. There should be a temporary classroom set up. I work and pay my taxes. I expect my child to be educated."

Council spokesman Gavin Calthrop said: "As a precautionary measure the building has had structural props installed while a more detailed investigation is carried out.

"The school is currently working on a long-term solution to the problem that will cause the least amount of disruption possible to parents and children. Parents are being kept fully informed of the situation."

Alex Emery