Flood-hit Wellingborough school bill reaches £750,000 as pupils settle into new normal

Life for pupils at a Wellingborough school has returned to the new normal after the floods left half the building and grounds underwater in flash floods on August 16.

All Saints Primary School in Castle Street suffered ankle-deep flooding when a month's worth of rain fell in one hour on Wellingborough as reported by the Northants Telegraph.The bill across the town for the flood damage spiralled with an investigation into gullies and drains in the town showing that regular maintenance had not been carried out.

Ground floor accommodation including nursery, reception and year one classrooms pupils, toilets, shared areas, and the school hall have been treated by flood damage restoration experts.

Headteacher Emma Johnson said: "It's estimated the bill will come to approximately £750,000 in total.

"Every single item taken from the building that could be recovered has been logged and put into storage.

"Once everything was taken out they stripped all the floors, and removed plaster from walls and put it in skips. They only finished four weeks ago."

As with all schools across the country, Mrs Johnson and her staff had been working hard to deal with how to provide education for the 230 pupils during the Covid pandemic.

Complications of social-distancing, year group bubbles and being Covid compliance were compounded when the summer floods swept down Castle Street, into the playground and through the ground floor of the school. A new temporary toilet block for older pupils has been installed to replace the flood damaged ones.

Mrs Johnson and her team swung into action with nursery children relocated to a nearby church hall, and the reception and year one children rehoused in a large mobile modular classroom mmanoeuvered into the rear playground by a huge crane.

She said: "We've lost 50 per cent of our building space and 54 per cent of the outdoor space. The LEA has been excellent - so supportive. They have given me a project manager.

"Once the mobile classroom and toilet block were connected with electricity, plumbing, sewage and internet we were up and running.

"There are so many different elements with the insurance claims and the LEA meeting [the cost of] other repairs. It's not going to be a quick fix. I'd rather take my time.

"We need to future-proof against futher flooding. They are doing a full drainage survey. We don't want to be put in the position that when it rains it all happens again."

With the mobile classroom and toilets occupying the rear playground, children from year two to six have parallel playtimes in their year group bubbles and in order to access the playground, pupils have to use the street entrance.

Hot school meals prepared on the premises have now restarted, delivered directly to children in their classrooms.

Mrs Johnson, who has only had three days' holiday since March added: "Once it has been put back together, this building will be even better and it's given us the chance to change the layout.

"Our reception and year one pupils missed seven days at the start of term while the mobile classroom was installed.

"But attendance has been better year-on-year. Some of that is better hygiene levels - the children don't mix in year groups and maybe parents have a better understanding the effect missing school has on their child.

"The parents have been absolutely brilliant. The children absolutely love coming to school. They are so much happier.

"It's a new normal - we had a Zoom harvest festival and it's about finding new and different ways of doing things and we keep communicating.

"All our Christmas decorations were lost in the flood but we are planning something special for the children."

A spokesperson for Northamptonshire County Council said: “We have been working closely with All Saints School to support after the water damage caused to three classrooms and various shared areas.

“We are progressing two drainage surveys to establish the cause of the flooding. The first survey is of the school site itself, to check there are no issues with the school’s drainage. The second is another, wider survey of the school and surrounding area.

“Both surveys are currently ongoing and the results yet to be received.

‘’In the interim period, we are progressing remedial works to the affected areas to ensure the school buildings are returned to a fully functional state. We have also helped the school secure and fund alternative temporary accommodation to ensure it can continue to deliver the curriculum to all pupils. Additionally, measures have been taken to ensure hot school meals can continue to be delivered.

“We are endeavouring to support the Headteacher in all matters arising from the flooding to allow her to concentrate fully on managing the school.’’

It is hoped that after the tendering process work will start in the spring with the school opening next September.