Contractor Delays Means School Building Not Ready For New Term

Pupils at Oasis Academy will have to travel 1.5 miles to temporary location


Photo: Nicholas Evans

Pupils starting at the Oasis Academy this September face the prospect of a longer journey to school due to the late completion of the building project.

Despite confirming in July that the school would open on time we have had sight of a letter from Oasis to parents of enrolled students that the new school building will not be opening.

The letter states, "As you know we were expecting to open in our new building from Wednesday 7th of September with some construction works still taking place externally. Unfortunately, the contractors, Durkan have told us they are unable to facilitate this arrangement due to delays."

The letter informs the parents that term will start on the 7th as planned but "temporarily based approximately 1.5 miles away at Mosaic Jewish Primary School on Roehampton Lane for the first term." The pupils whilst at Mosaic location will have access to two new classrooms, break out areas, admin space, toilets, hall and playground.

The letter continued, " Although this arrangement is not ideal we are confident that it will provide a solution for this temporary delay and ask you to bear with us while these interim arrangements are in place. The accommodation at Mosaic is newly built and of a high standard and will give your children a great start to their Reception year. Whilst we are disappointed that factors outside of our control have meant that we are not able to move into our building for the start of term, we do hope to be in our brand new state of the art building after October half term, if not earlier."

A spokesperson for Oasis told this web site, "As is often the case with large building projects, the completion and handover of the new building from the contractors to Wandsworth Council has unfortunately been delayed for a short period. As per our robust contingency plans already in place, our pupils and their teachers will begin term in classrooms at the Mosaic Jewish Primary School, a short distance from our new Academy building. Oasis is working closely with Wandsworth Council and the contractors as the new building is completed, to ensure as that our pupils are able to move into their new classrooms as soon as possible."