AN MP has praised schools hit by the crumbling concrete crisis for their work to get children back into classes.

Witham MP Dame Priti Patel went on a fact-finding mission to three of the worst hit schools in her constituency.

She said there had been “significant progress” in putting emergency measures in place.

Dame Priti visited Tiptree’s Thurstable School with Education Minister Baroness Barran.

They held talks with headteacher James Ketley about the progress in arranging temporary accommodation, which should be up and running later this month.

Dame Priti then visited Hatfield Place country house.

The luxury wedding venue has been used by pupils after the closure of St Andrew’s Junior School, in Hatfield Peverel, at the start of September due to concrete issues.

Gazette: Dame Priti Patel with children from St Andrew's Primary in Hatfield PeverelDame Priti Patel with children from St Andrew's Primary in Hatfield Peverel (Image: Dame Priti Patel)

Headteacher Rebecca Black gave her an update on how the school term has been going since the move into Hatfield Place.

The Conservative MP also visited Honywood School in Coggeshall to meet headteacher James Saunders.

During the visit, she saw some of the temporary classrooms in operation, which have allowed all pupils except for Year Nine to return to face to face learning at the school.

The school is one of the worst affected by the 'Raac' concrete crisis in the county and was forced to shut 22 classrooms.

Earlier this month Mr Saunders said he aimed to build a new temporary school in just six weeks – dubbing the project “Space Village”.

Dame Priti said: “It is testament to the hard work of our local headteachers in conjunction with Essex County Council that only a few weeks after the start of term we are already seeing the infrastructure in place to allow students to return back to school lessons onsite.

“I appreciate the disruption these closures due to Raac have caused, and will continue to work closely with our local schools to ensure they have the funding and support they require.“

Gazette: Dame Priti Patel with St Andrew's Primary headteacher Rebecca Black at Hatfield PlaceDame Priti Patel with St Andrew's Primary headteacher Rebecca Black at Hatfield Place (Image: Dame Priti Patel)