Pupils at Castle Community College were not the only ones flapping during their GCSE chemistry exam yesterday.

The Year 11 students were joined by three pigeons in the exam hall as well as interrupted by a fire alarm.

Following the one-hour ordeal, interim principal Jane Hadlow applied for special consideration for the students from the exam board, which she has today confirmed has been granted on both accounts.

She has labelled what happened as, “an extraordinary set of circumstances which converged on one day in a very short space of time.”

One parent, who has asked not to be named, said: “I am glad the school has taken these measures. It must have been highly distracting for them all.”

The school, which has two sites, has closed its Salisbury Road base today following the issues with the alarm system, resulting in all of today’s exams being carried out at the Mill Road site.

The system has now been fixed and is fully working meaning Saturday School will continue at 9am as usual at the Salisbury Road site tomorrow.

“I am glad the school has taken these measures. It must have been highly distracting for them all.” - Parent

In a letter to parents, Ms Hadlow said the school has also dealt with the issue of pigeons.

She said: “There is a roof cavity near the Sports Hall which is where the birds have been getting in. Again, we have had specialists on site this morning clearing and repairing spaces to hopefully prevent any further recurrence of birds into the sports hall.”

She added: “We have already made contingency arrangements for the exams on Monday, relocating them within the Salisbury Road site in accordance with exam board regulations should the pigeons return over the weekend.”

The school, which is in special measures, has reported the issues to Ofsted as well as the Governors.

Ms Hadlow said: “I can reassure you that all staff responded and acted appropriately and followed all procedures for such emergences. “We were also fully compliant with exam board regulations in such events.”