Staff safety checks chaos stretches local schools

Bexhill's schools were pushed to the limit to meet the deadline of the start of term yesterday.

If checks were incomplete, schools could have remained closed.

Acting head teacher at King Offa Primary School, Sue Conaway, said: "If it hadn't been for the support we have had from county, we would not have got through the necessary police checks in time.

"It has been the support of Michelle Punter and her team at East Sussex County Council that has enabled us to open on time."

But head teacher of Sidley Community Primary School, Mike Norcock, thinks the possibility of keeping pupils away from school while checks were completed would cause more risk to their safety. He said:"I just think the whole thing is an incredible over reaction. Making the children to wait in case some checks have not been completed is an added risk to pupils.

"It is far more important to get the children back into school. To prolong the holiday is ridiculous. No harm is going to come to children while they are in school. As far as I am concerned, keeping the children away from school will increase the risk. Jessica and Holly were abducted in the school holidays, not during term time."

Mike Conn, head teacher at Bexhill high School said: "There is not a member of staff in this school that hasn't had a police check.

"East Sussex has had it's finger on the pulse since the terrible incident with Sean Jenkins, so we are ahead of the game with security issues."