Urgent temporary works have been approved at a Sheffield primary school following the “severe” deterioration of the school’s roof.
Sheffield City Council allocated a budget of £720,000 for Carterknowle Juniors after immediate health and safety issues were identified at the school.
The budget was approved on Monday 16 March, and will be funded by the Department for Education.
The decision came after a ceiling tile fell in a classroom in January, following heavy rainfall which caused a leak.
In a council meeting on Monday, Councillor Martin Phipps said: “It’s really desperately important that we make the school safe as soon as possible”.
He described the deterioration of the school as “really regrettable”.
“It reflects the underfunding we’ve seen over a long period of time for schools. It’s something we desperately need to change.”
A recent survey determined the building to be “severely deteriorated”.
“Roof tiles and other materials are falling from the building, forcing parts of the playground to be cordoned off to keep pupils and staff safe.”
The temporary works will include: a scaffold roof structure, installing edge protection around the roof to catch any loose or falling materials, and replacing damaged ceilings in classrooms with flame-retardant sheeting.
Main works are scheduled for 2027.
The school is not accepting interviews at this time, however the school’s headteacher Lucy Atherton referred Shef Live to comments she made to ITV recently.
“In September, part of the ceiling fell down in the staff room.
“The ceiling fell down on top of some chairs where the staff had been sitting moments before, so that was a real concern to make sure that everyone was safe.
“Since then, some of the tiles in the lowered ceiling fell down in one of the classrooms. That was the point we really felt we had to ask the council to do something.
As a Grade II listed building, there is an added cost to its maintenance.
Atherton said: “A window we had mended cost over £5,000, as it had to be made by hand to meet those requirements.”
Parents at the school have criticised the school’s deterioration, with one describing it as an “abhorrent situation”
