After three days of weather and power-related closures last week, Moriah Jewish Day School pupils have again been at home after the heating system broke down.

A message posted by headteacher Alan Shaw on the Harrow school’s website on Monday explained that a specialist part had to be brought over from Germany and could take up to four days to arrive. Apologising to parents for the incovenience and disruption, he explained that “we are bound by legal requirements for a minimum temperature of 18 degrees centigrade in classrooms”.

Governors’ chair Doreen Samuels said that bringing forward half-term would have been impractical as “we would have had to get staff and parents to cancel holidays. The reason parents are agitated is because they have pressing childcare needs, which we appreciate. We have tried to take care of the best interests of the children.”

Moriah was due to reopen on Thursday.