NEWSROOM

Telford & Wrekin Council has been awarded £1.9million from the Department for Education to carry out repairs at Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery School.

A survey of the school identified that approximately 79 percent of the school’s roof included RAAC (Reinforced Aerated Autoclave Concrete).

Temporary safety measures had been swiftly put in place by the Council, which allowed the school to open as usual.

Now with funding secured, work has started to remove the RAAC and replace it with modern materials.

To facilitate the work, temporary classrooms are being assembled in the school grounds and will be removed once the work is complete. This will allow the school to remain open as usual and the education of pupils to continue.

Access to the school from Church Walk will also be temporarily closed to staff and pupils while the work is carried out. The Church Walk entrance will be used by construction staff.

During the renovation, the Council will also take the opportunity to recover and insulate the remaining roof panels to reduce the energy needs of the school in line with the Council’s commitment to reduce the Borough’s carbon footprint.  

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Education, Employment and Skills, said:

“We want our schools to provide a safe and nurturing environment to support the learning and development of pupils.

“We’ve taken the issue of RAAC at Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery School very seriously and I’m pleased we were able to put temporary measures in place to safeguard staff and pupils.

“With the Government funding secured, we’re now able to move the project forward and make sure all RAAC is removed and replaced with modern materials, which will secure the longevity of the building for generations to come.

“I’m really pleased that we’re able to keep the school open while the work is carried out and children’s learning is unaffected.

“Due to the scale and nature of the work, we do expect there to be some low-level disruption to nearby residents as construction traffic attends the site. I’d ask residents to bear with us while we carry out this essential safety work.”

Caroline Boddy, Headteacher at Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery School, said:

“We’ve worked with the Council and contractors to ensure the appropriate measures are in place to keep the school open and safe while the essential repairs are carried out.

“Our priority over the next few months will be to ensure children’s learning and development are unaffected and we can go about our normal school life."

Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery School is the only school in the Borough where RAAC has been found.