GCSE students will be given priority when pupils start to return to a Chandler's Ford school ravaged in a fire that caused £1m of damage.

education bosses hope to allow 15 and 16-year-olds studying at Thornden School back on Monday even if the rest of the 1,300 strong school can't join them.

Although a number of temporary classrooms have been brought in today they are unusable because the school's electricity supply has been cut by the fire.

A spokeswoman for the education authority said: "They are really working hard to get everything back to normal but it is taking time because we have to make sure it is safe.

"Temporary classrooms are being brought in but there's a problem with the electricity. Once that's up and running the pupils will be able to use them."

A final decision about when pupils are allowed back will be taken on Friday after it becomes clear how successful the clear-up operation has been.

Hampshire County Council's executive councillor for education Don Allen told the Daily Echo that the bill for repair looks likely to be publicly paid by taxpayers.

He said: "In this case the school buildings are self-insured by the county council. So this latest incident is not only going to disrupt education of local children, it is estimated that it is also going to cost local council tax payers well over £1m to repair at a time when the government is cutting back on its grant to the county. "

Six classrooms were destroyed and extensive smoke damage was caused to an estimated 80 per cent of the rest of the building.

The blaze took 50 firefighters from four areas three hours to extinguish at the Winchester Road school.

Two youths from Chandler's Ford, aged 16 and 17, have been charged with arson in connection with the blaze, which broke out at midnight on Saturday.