SCHOOLCHILDREN in Reading will be taught in temporary classrooms years after they were expected to be taken down.

Modular buildings at schools in Tilehurst and Caversham were given permission to remain indefinitely last week.

St Michael's Primary School on Dee Road asked to keep a block used for an after school club. The building given permission to remain in place for five years when it was approved in 2013.

At the same meeting St Martin's Catholic Primary School in Caversham asked for two extra classrooms to be kept indefinitely.

The two extra rooms at the Pendennis Avenue school were established in 2009 and had planning permission to remain for 10 years.

Ashley Pearce blasted the government's funding for schools, leaving them forced to 'make do' with temporary funding.

"This is the second of these applications regarding modular accommodation to come up tonight," the councillor for Church ward said.

"It shows a growing trend of schools making do rather than providing permanent facilities for students.

"I've taught in modular classrooms and whilst they're better than no classroom at all there are certainly better and more adequate facilities out there.

"The problems schools are facing is all down to funding.

"I'd like to see in future that we are approving more permanent buildings for schools at this committee."

The single storey modular classrooms at the Caversham school were supposed to be taken down in 2019 but have now been given leave to remain.

The Tilehurst school has recently expanded and want to keep the modular classrooms to be used as an after school club.

The plans came before Reading Borough Council's planning committee on Wednesday, March 8.

Both schemes were unanimously approved by the committee at the Bridge Street council offices.