Heating problems have forced staff at Hitchin Boys’ School to send pupils home today amid the cold, with most students set to stay away tomorrow as engineers get to work.

Most pupils were sent home at 12.30pm today, as temperatures in the school fell below the govenment-defined minimum of 18°C amid a lack of heating in most of the building.

Engineers will be on site tomorrow to dig exploratory trenches to find the source of the problem – meaning much of the school will be freezing cold.

Juggling of the timetable is set to allow Year 11 and 13 lessons to go ahead tomorrow in warm rooms with electrical heating, but other students have been told to stay home.

Tonight’s winter recital has been cancelled. A planned Year 7 and 8 disco is set to go ahead tomorrow as planned, with electrical heating.

In a statement on the school website, head Martin Brown said: “The failure of gas supply on the coldest day of the year so far is a challenge to which we all need to rise!

“We hope to be back to normal by Monday. However, we have been warned by the engineer that there is a possibility that the problem may not be resolved by then.

“We will of course advise all stakeholders before Monday about the likely outcome.

“My apologies for the significant inconvenience caused. Please keep your fingers crossed that the engineers find out where the problem lies and can sort it out quickly.”

Outside temperatures today have been just above freezing, with weather forecasters predicting possible hail, frost and ice this evening.