A COMMUNITY has welcomed news that pupils from a fire-ravaged school will continue to be educated in the same town while repairs are carried out.

Selsey Academy pupils will be taught in a town hall and leisure centres while temporary classrooms are built for them at the site of their burnt out school.

Councillors welcomed the news saying it was vital for the coastal town that it retained the school as a community hub.

Selsey Academy headteacher Tom Garfield has written to pupils’ families to tell them that pupils will be taught for the first few weeks of the new term at Selsey Town Hall, The Academy Selsey Sports Centre, Bunn Leisure and Chichester High School.

The 400 pupils will then be moved into a temporary structure being built at the Selsey Academy School Lane site in early autumn.

The devastating fire which broke out on Sunday morning destroyed three-quarters of the school’s buildings with initial fire investigations indicating it was started accidentally by contractors working on the roof.

The school year has been delayed a week until Monday September 12 to allow teachers extra time to prepare.

For the initial weeks, year seven and eight pupils will be taught at Selsey Town Hall and the former East Street home of Selsey Works, year nine pupils will be taught at The Academy Selsey Sports Centre and year ten and eleven will be taught at Bunn Leisure in West Sands Holiday Village with some specialist lessons at Chichester High School.

Cllr Mike Beales, Selsey Town Council chairman, said; "We are very happy that the school is staying in Selsey because as a community we need a school.

"Not only is it a good school which is vital for the youngsters, it is also a community hub where an awful lot of things happen.

"Temporary classrooms are not ideal but they are an awful lot better than bussing children up to Chichester."

West Sussex County Councillor Bernard Smith said: "I think this is the best solution, it would have taken a lot of time and money having to bus the youngsters everywhere.

"We have got to have a school here in Selsey and it has to be rebuilt.

"Its not the best way to have to teach youngsters in the town hall and the leisure centre but it won't be for very long, youngsters will hopefully have forgotten about it by Christmas."