An investigation is underway into a school blaze from which more than 300 children were evacuated.

Fire investigators were yesterday due to visit Templars Junior School in Witham to look into a suspected arson attack.

The Cressing Road school was to be closed yesterday and today while the probe takes place.

But pupils may have to stay away for longer depending on the outcome of the investigation.

Staff and 330 pupils were evacuated as the fire ripped through a first-floor classroom at around 3pm on Friday.

The pupils were in the school hall having their end-of-week assembly when the alarm was raised.

Worried parents rushed to the school and watched as firefighters dealt with the blaze. Nobody was hurt.

Headteacher Julian Johnson said vital health and safety checks have to take place before the school can re-open.

He said: "There's a lot of twisted metal and smoke damage. We've had to leave the mess alone so investigators can carry out their work.

"We have lost power and there's lots of water on the wiring. We have to make sure it's totally safe before children can return."

Witham station officer Terry Hutton said the fire was being treated as suspicious. He added staff and pupils will be interviewed by police and the fire service as part of the investigation.

Four fire crews from Witham and Chelmsford took about an hour to control the blaze. The fire gutted one classroom. A library, hallway, another classroom and other ground floor rooms suffered smoke and water damage.

Builders were also expected to arrive yesterday to make sure the school is structurally sound.

Mr Johnson and staff were today working on a contingency plan to find somewhere to teach the children. One possibility is some of them will be taught in the infants' school.

The cost of repairs will be met by insurance through Essex County Council.

Gutted - a firefighter inspects the destroyed classroom, left, and crews at outside the Templars Junior School in Witham.

Pictures: SEANA HUGHES

Praise for pupils and staff

Pupils and staff have been praised after safely evacuating a Witham school which was on fire.

Templars Junior School headteacher Julian Johnson said the children left the school "sensibly" after the alarm was raised during school assembly.

He added: "The whole school was together in the hall thankfully and the classroom was empty.

"The alarm went off automatically. The children behaved very well and were very calm. It was a dramatic scene. There was a lot of smoke and flames were coming out of the windows.

"The classroom is completely ruined with all the school work, books, desks, records of achievement - they have all gone. It is sad and we just want to know why it happened. We will work to get back to normal as quickly as possible."

Mr Johnson also said he had been overwhelmed by the response from parents.

He added: "I've had floods of calls from parents who have pledged to help clear-up. I've told them we can't do anything until the investigation has been completed. But I have assured them we will be taking advantage of their offers."

Parent Nikki Gordon, of Church Street, Witham, rushed to the school after fearing for the safety of daughter Kimberley, 11, during Friday's blaze.

She said: "We heard about the fire and came rushing down. We got here and thankfully all the children were outside. We phoned other parents on mobiles to get the message through.

"There was a lot of panic. It was quite chaotic but we were all so worried."

Security patrols took place at the weekend after governors feared the school had become vulnerable to vandalism and theft.

Teachers will continue to mark work and draw up lesson plans in classrooms unaffected by the blaze.

Templars Infants School will be open but children have been told to bring packed lunches because no school dinners will be available.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.