Students from a secondary school which suffered £3 million damage in an arson attack have returned to class.

Police arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with the blaze at 900-pupil Tideway secondary school in Southdown Road, Newhaven, on April 5.

Tideway has been off limits for pupils for the last two weeks during a clear-up operation and pupils studying for their GSCEs have been using facilities at East Brighton College of Media Arts (Comart)

But yesterday every pupil was able to return to the school, except for Year 8 students who are still studying at Shakespeare Hall in Newhaven. It is hoped they will be able to join the others at Tideway tomorrow.

The £3 million repair cost is triple the original estimate and East Sussex County Council education chiefs believe it could be a year before work is completed.

Students in Years 7 to 10 were provided with materials and guidance to enable them to work from home and other students were taught in community centres in Newhaven.

A spokeswoman for the school said: "Fortunately all the pupils except for those in Year 8 have been able to return to school and continue their studies as normal. If all goes to plan, Year 8 can return tomorrow."