A DEATH TRAP

PUPILS, staff and parents demonstrated outside a school to protest at what they claim are "deathtrap" conditions.

Up to 150 people gathered outside the gates of Oakfield Middle School, Lancing, yesterday waving placards and chanting.

The protesters say the current Year Four block is a fire hazard and a health risk.

And they are furious that nothing has been done about cramped conditions, including no proper segregation between classrooms.

Staff at the school say they have to cope with the central heating constantly breaking down, floods from the boiler and danger from tiles falling from the ceiling.

Governor Keith Dollemore said: "We would like to see it totally demolished and a completely new building to replace it.

"The cloakroom is pitifully small and is a death trap. It would take just one child to fall in an emergency evacuation and there could be a disaster."

Sharon Savage, 33, of Myrtle Road, Lancing, has one YearFour child already at the school and another youngster about to start.

She said: "It is dark, dingy, depressing and demoralising. How can children learn in that sort of environment?"

Mother-of-two Lacey Bulled, 36, of Abbey Road, Lancing said: "The classrooms are inadequate, cold and depressing. It's not fair for the teachers or the children. It's difficult for them to concentrate."

The Year Four block houses 115 children aged eight and nine. It is an open-plan building with four classrooms separated by curtains.

Headmaster Laurie Servante said that he felt he was "banging his head against a brick wall" when asking the education authority to fund improvements.

He said: "I have written, telephoned and kept them constantly informed. But nothing ever happens. This has been going on for years.

"I have had to evacuate the Year Four block on occasions and it disrupts the running of the rest of the school.

"The conditions are intolerable. I have had to watch my staff wading through hot water to get to their classrooms."

The building in Irene Avenue is a former health clinic. The school inherited it more than 20 years ago after it was deemed unsuitable to be used as a practice.

Year Four teacher Anna Nicholson, 27, said: "The classrooms are far too small to allow proper teaching.

"The cloakrooms are a fire hazard. There are too many children using the same space, and with bags all over the floor it is dangerous if there is an emergency."

Jane Robinson, of West Sussex Education Authority, said a bid for central Government funds to upgrade facilities at Oakfield and other schools needing cash injections had already been made.

"We will know in April," she said. "The money should be with us fairly quickly if we are successful, but we can't guarantee it.

"There will obviously be a discussion with the head teacher and governors regarding the Year Four accommodation and about where best to tackle the situation at Oakfield."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.