A SCHOOL in Blackbird Leys remains closed today forcing parents to scramble around for last-minute childcare.

It is the fourth time Northfield School in Knights Road has shut in three months and mums and dads have called the situation “a nightmare”.

The school is temporarily out of action due to “health and safety reasons”, but the school has not given the Oxford Mail any further information.

A message on its website announced the closure and apologised for the inconvenience.

Parent Steff Anderson said: “Yes, my son is affected and this is the third time in a matter of months. Surely, for whatever reason, they should have sorted the problem by now.”

Mum Fiona Bowler called the situation a “nightmare”.

But another parent, Alison Thompson, stood up for Northfield, saying: “I don’t know where my son would be now without that school. Yes the buildings need a lot of work but the staff showed him so much love and support. Every school has its problems and Northfield is no different, but it changes lives.”

The school, which caters for 60 boys with emotional and behavioural problems, closed for several days in September and also for a day in October due to a leaking roof.

After the closure, headteacher Mark Blencowe said there were long-standing issues with the roof letting in water.

It is understood that temporary measures would be made to patch up the roof before the winter weather sets in.

However, Oxfordshire County Council has not said what the health and safety issues were for the closure.