ANOTHER Basildon school has been accused of allowing children to chill in classrooms due to broken heating.

Parents of children at The Willows primary School in Church Road, Basildon, claim their children are having to wear coats in class because the heating has been broken since December.

Portable heaters have been brought in by Essex County Council to try and warm things up, but the recent cold snap has brought the matter to a head.

Kate Poulton claims her 11-year-old daughter Ella Wells developed tonsilitis after sitting in cold classrooms.

Miss Poulton said: “I cannot believe we are three months down the line and the school heating hasn’t been fixed. Ella says the school has been cold but she has really noticed it in this weather. The school should be closed if children are sitting in coats.”

The Echo recently revealed how parents were pulling their children out of Cherry Tree primary school in Church Road, Vange, because its heating had also failed.

Willows headteacher Dave Bridge says heaters have been in place in all affected classrooms.

He said: “The local authority have installed a whole new heating system before repairs take place in the summer. If I felt areas of the school were not warm enough I would close that part of the school. I have done it before and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.”

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “Essex County Council worked closely with the school to install heaters as soon as the heating failed in December. The heating pipework needs to be replaced but this work cannot be done during term time as it would cause major disruption to the education of the pupils."