The new Berkeley is 95 percent complete, Government said last week and could be used now.

The new school, which is massively over-budget and years behind schedule, will be used in September after the board said it would be impractical to move from its current site in the middle of the school year.

It said Government had missed a promised deadline to hand over the keys to the school that would have enabled it to move in this month.

However Government responded with a statement from Acting Education Minister Randy Horton which, while saying he respected the board?s decision, said 95 percent of the fit-out was complete.

?The new school, with the exception of the gym which is under construction, could at present be utilised for the effective delivery of the senior school curriculum,? he said. ?Furnishings and equipment for all the classrooms and other resource facilities such as the library and meeting rooms are in place.?

The statement said music equipment requested at a late stage by Berkeley wouldn?t be on the Island until mid-February.