Spice Valley Middle School students will start classes one week late rather than relocate to Warwick Camp, the Ministry of Education announced yesterday.

The Ministry announced its intention to bus the school's 260 students to the Regiment base for two weeks, while renovations are completed at the school's Warwick campus, last week.

But the move drew the ire of Spice Valley teachers who voted unanimously on Tuesday that they would not teach at the Camp.

The barracks of Warwick Camp were intended to be adapted to makeshift classrooms so that students would not lose two weeks of class time in relation to their peers.

The teachers opposed the move on the grounds that the rooms, security and play areas at the temporary facility would be inadequate for students' needs.

But yesterday Permanent Secretary for Education Michelle Khaldun said the Ministry was backing away from the relocation plan due to a lack of available substitute teachers.

"The Warwick Camp site would have accommodated the students, and indeed, was used for this purpose once before when the school was originally built," said Ms Khaldun. "However, we would have needed a number of substitute teachers in order to allow teachers time to prepare their classes properly before the school opened. We have now established that it will not be possible to provide enough substitute teachers."

Ms Khaldun said that the decision to open one week late, rather than relocate, was made in consultation with school principal Patricia Holder, the six members of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) executive and the Chief Education Officer, Dr. Joseph Christopher.

Last night Spice Valley PTA president Lynnette Raynor said parents were largely happy with the decision not to send the children to Warwick Camp.

But she added that those parents concerned about the finding alternative child care for their children for the added week of summer vacation should contact the Education Ministry which will try to assist.

Ms Khaldun said the Ministry delayed the opening by just one week to minimise the effect on the children.

Classes were intended to begin on Monday but will now be pushed back until September 17.

The school has been under a $6 million renovations project this summer which will see improvements to its classrooms, laboratories and library.