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Head sends children home

From the Bolton Evening News, first published Tuesday 20th Jan 1998.

AROUND 370 pupils at St James's CE School in Farnworth were sent home today when the heating system broke down.

It was caused when a main pump in the heating system exploded, cutting off the heat in the school's largest block.

The pupils were all in years nine and ten and aged between 13 and 15.

This is the second time head David Bowes has been forced to send children home in less than a month.

And if the heating system, which is 30 years old, cannot be improved, and the cold spell continues, Mr Bowes said he will be forced to tell his year seven and eight pupils to stay away from school tomorrow.

If this is the case, parents will be informed by letter later today.

Mr Bowes said he would pull out all the stops to ensure that the education of Year 11 pupils, who are studying for their GCSEs, was safeguarded.

He said: "This is a long-running problem and I will be speaking to funding agency for schools today."

In the worst case scenario, Mr Bowes said he will be forced to implement a rolling programme of sending classes home.

"All the youngsters know what to do. If they have a warm home to return to, they go home. If not, they can go home with a friend or to a grand-parent. If they have nowhere to go they can remain in school."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.

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