Pupils from a Tooting school stranded in Italy by the Icelandic ash cloud had been visiting the historic ruins of Pompeii, which was destroyed by a volcanic eruption 2,000 years ago.

In a bizarre twist of irony, teachers and 25 year 9 pupils from Burntwood School were in Naples visiting the site of the ruined Roman city when the volcanic eruption in Iceland grounded all planes last week.

Pompei was buried under 20 metres of ash and pumice when Mount Vesuvius erupted over two days in 79 AD, entombing the town’s inhabitants.

The ruins were lost for nearly 1,600 years before its accidental discovery in 1592.

Burntwood has been forced to close to more than 1,000 pupils for a week after 29 teachers were left stranded abroad.

Burntwood, which has pupils 1,600 and more than 100 teaching staff, completely closed today and will remain shut to year 7, 8, 9 and 10 for the rest of the week.

The school, which has organised specialist teachers for older pupils due to sit GCSE and A level exams this summer.

The school’s deputy principal, Howard Jackson, said: “We realised at the end of last week we would have a problem, and after speaking to heads of the areas, took the decision to shut today.”

Mr Jackson said it was an important time for pupils exams, and the school said would continue with practical exams in photograpy and dance scheduled for later this week.

He said: “All of the students who have exams will be coming in for their normal timetable tomorrow and we have specialist teachers covering lessons. Year 11, 12 and 13 students will all be in for the rest of the week as normal.”

The schoolparty in Italy, which will now know Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried after the volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, were trying to make alternative travel arrangements to get back home.

The school is reviewing the situation for next week’s classes but the mother of one year 10 pupil said the school did not act quickly enough to tell parents the school would close today.

They said: “I only got a text this morning but they must have known about this earlier. I am supposed to be at work but I have to organise childcare for the rest of the week.

“They could have acted quicker. Last summer the pupils had eight weeks off because of building work.”

Elsewhere, Wandsworth Council said all other schools were open as normal.

A Wandsworth Council spokesman said: “Other schools are coping. The pressure on supply resources have been absolutely huge this week for all schools across London.”

Has your school or child been affected by the problem? Let us know by calling the newsdesk on 020 8330 9533.