The school has closed for the rest of the week after sections of ceiling collapsed when heavy rainf rushed in through ‘huge gaps’ in the roof.
The school’s sports hall, main hall and canteen were all cordoned off on Wednesday and electricity supplies were isolated to protect the 580 pupils who remained in the building.
Head teacher Sarah Hague said ‘considerable damage’ had been caused but stressed that actions had been taken to ensure that children, who remained in school on Wednesday, were safe.
Year 11 pupils have now finished their GCSE exams, so are unaffected.
‘This really highlights our need for a new school,’ Mrs Hague added.
For years there have been concerns about the deteriorating school building – which is more than 50 years old – and the fact that it is over-capacity.
In February plans to build a new £40 million school on fields alongside Route de Quennevais were rejected by Environment Minister Steve Luce following recommendations from a planning inspector.
New plans have been drawn up and the Education Department say they hope the new building will still be ready by the target date of September 2020.
St Brelade Deputy Montfort Tadier said the disruption was ‘deeply regrettable’ and vowed to put pressure on Education Minister Rod Bryans and Jersey Property Holdings – which manages States-owned buildings – to ensure Les Quennevais gets its new school.
