A Newcastle school damaged in Storm Babet looks set to remain closed after the half-term holidays.

Jesmond Park Academy, in Heaton, was forced to shut on October 19 due to safety concerns, after its roof suffered “quite extensive damage” in the high winds. Parents have now been told to plan for the school, formerly known as Heaton Manor, not to be ready to open its doors again next Monday – more than two weeks after the incident.

Meanwhile, councillors have aired concerns about a lack of communication with parents over the prolonged closure.

A new statement posted on the Gosforth Group multi-academy trust’s website on Thursday told families to prepare for the Jesmond Park West not to still be shut once the current half-term break ends. It confirmed: “A full perimeter inspection of the roof has now been completed, and we await the relevant reports.

"Once we have these and they have been scrutinised by our independent structural engineer and our legal advisors, we will be able to determine a possible date for reopening the school. We continue to work closely with colleagues from Newcastle City Council and the Department for Education in a concerted effort to resolve this situation as soon as possible and to plan for contingencies should we need them.

“As soon as we have further information to share with you, you will be updated. However, in the meantime, please plan for the school being closed on Monday, November 6.”

Since the roof damage, pupils have been forced to learn from home with a package of remote lessons. At a Newcastle City Council meeting on Wednesday evening, Heaton councillor Clare Penny-Evans raised concerns about the school closure.

Lesley Storey, the authority’s cabinet member responsible for education, said that civic centre chiefs were doing “everything we can” to get Jesmond Park Academy open again, adding that the authority had been distributing vouchers for families whose children would normally get free school meals. However, she added that the school’s messaging to parents “really does need to improve”.

Coun Storey said: "One of the things that councillors and families have said is that the communication really does need to improve with the school and that is something we have really been pushing for. Families and children need to know when they are going to be able to be in school and they need much better than we have currently been getting. That needs to be addressed."

Lib Dem councillors in the Manor Park ward had previously complained that they had only received a “very basic” response from the Gosforth Group after offering support with the roof damage.