A DORSET MP is calling for the removal of 25-year-old temporary classrooms at a school he attended.

West Dorset MP Chris Loder wants action to replace the classrooms at Sherborne's Gryphon School – that were there when he attended the school as a teenager.

Pressures facing the school, which remains largely dependent on ‘temporary classrooms’ which Mr Loder says are “in a terrible state”, were raised in a debate at the House of Commons.

Ministers stated the school has already received funding for the issue but the school claims it wasn't just for them, nor was it enough.

Mr Loder said: “Twenty five years ago, I was sat in class at the temporary classrooms at the Gryphon School in Sherborne where I was educated in the 90s as a teenager.

“Twenty five years later, now as Sherborne’s Member of Parliament, I saw that those same 'temporary' classrooms remained.

Dorset Echo: 'Temporary' classrooms at The Gryphon School 'Temporary' classrooms at The Gryphon School

“I brought this up in the House of Commons as I pressed the minister on this issue with the hope that we can soon get a solution with the Sherborne Area Schools Trust.”

School standards minister Robin Walker said: “We have been engaging with the Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust on this matter and it has received £585,000 this financial year to improve its school buildings, but I would of course be happy to meet my hon. Friend again.”

The Gryphon School said the funding was not solely for them, but rather an amount allocated to the entire trust – which manages 17 schools.

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Headteacher Nicki Edwards said: “We appreciate Chris Loder MP raising the issue of replacing our temporary classrooms in Parliament. The school was originally built for 800 students and we now have 1,600 including our Sixth Form.

“The temporary classrooms have been on-site for 25 years, and while we have maintained them as best we can, the lifespan of such buildings is never supposed to be this long.

“We would like to replace them with permanent classrooms to support the excellent education we offer at the school, and hope that the government will support us with this to benefit students across North Dorset.

“The funding mentioned by the minister in his response to our MP's question, was a reference to the money provided to our Multi-Academy Trust, SAST, to maintain all of the 17 schools within the trust, not for the benefit of The Gryphon School alone.

“The replacement cost for our 11 huts would require a significant amount of capital funding but would be a worthy investment in the future of our young people.”

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