STAFF and pupils at Staindrop Primary School say they are pleased to be “home” after four classes had to decamp to the village’s academy when their classrooms were badly damaged by severe flooding.
Four rooms, the main hall, kitchen area, a PE cupboard and corridor at the primary school were flooded when a water pipe in a boy’s bathroom burst.
After the flood was discovered, just days after the new term started in September, headteacher Steve Whelerton reached out to his opposite number at Staindrop Academy, Sarah Mitchinson, for help.
A plan was quickly put together with 90 pupils and eight staff from years two, three, four and six relocated to the academy temporarily while repair work to the school was carried out.
Two months on, efforts to dry out the affected rooms and replace damaged items have been completed with all staff and pupils returning to the school last week.
Mr Whelerton said: “It’s great to have everyone back.
“It has been challenging but with the refurbishment work it feels like a new school.
“With the way school budgets are, we wouldn’t have been able to do any of this work so we just have to look at the silver lining.”
Industrial heaters and dehumidifiers were brought in to dry out the affected rooms before floors could be covered in screed and carpets laid.
He added: “The parquet flooring in the main hall had to be taken up because of the damage.
“To replace it they said it would be in the region of £30,000 so we’ve now got really hard-wearing industrial vinyl and if there is another flood this floor won’t be affected. It’s a lot more practical.
“We managed to sell off the parquet flooring to save it going to landfill and the money we raised from that has gone back into school funds. All the rooms have been decorated and we’ve got new book cases in each of the rooms and everything just feels great.”
Classroom doors were not replaced, but they too have been given a make-over with vinyl wrapping, in custom designs created by Mr Whelerton to highlight subjects on the curriculum.
He had hoped to be able to stagger the return of pupils to the school as each classroom came back into use but due to the schedule of works that was not possible.
He added: “As it turns out we brought them all back en-mass last week. We brought in Wilderness Education for a full day of forest school education so staff could get the classrooms ready and the children didn’t lose any time on education.
“We still have lots to put away and there is still some decoration to be done, but everyone is so pleased to be back and it’s nice to have everyone home.”
He said: “We have to extend our gratitude to Staindrop Academy for their help and the use of their school.
“Nothing has been too much for them and anything we asked they tried to accommodate, but it’s nice to be home again.”
In celebration of the return the primary school is hosting an open day on Monday, November 25, from 9.30am until 5.30pm for parents and prospective parents to take a tour of the refurbished rooms.
