School defends its power cut decision
Neighbouring sites take different approach
Parents have hit out at a grammar school for not sending pupils home when a power cut knocked out the heating and hot food.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls (MGGS) did cancel its parents evening apparently citing “health and safety” but kept its doors open throughout the day.
Pupils were sent home early from neighbouring Maplesden Noakes, off Buckland Road, Maidstone.
Issues were reported to UK Power Networks just after 10am last Thursday and the supply was not fully restored until around 1am Friday.
Maplesden sent pupils home early, just after noon, and postponed its open evening until today (Thursday).
Head teacher Richard Owen explained that students were expecting an early finish anyway in advance of the open evening, and actually only left around 20 minutes earlier than planned.
He said: “Many of the toilets were not working and it was getting to the point where we didn’t really have any choice because of a lack of hygiene and ultimately we have a duty of care. “We also know that at this time of year it’s getting dark pretty early in the afternoon and so we had to take that into consideration as well.
“I was driven by the welfare of our students and their safety. “Our biggest frustration was having to rearrange the open evening and myself and others stayed at the school gates into the evening to make sure everybody had got the message.” MGGS head teacher Deborah Stanley said: “The safety and well-being of our pupils is of paramount importance at all times and we will always strive to ensure learning can continue, in a safe environment, wherever possible.
“Staff assessed the situation, and liaised with Kent County Council, and made the decision to keep the school open. “Pupils were allowed to wear coats in class if they felt cold and