St Martin's School: Oswestry school damaged by blaze finds alternative site for pupils as fire service set to review damage
A Shropshire school badly damaged by fire has found an alternative site to provide some pupils education, its headteacher has said.
St Martin's School in Moors Bank, near Oswestry, was closed all week after a fire last last Sunday broke out at the back of the building, damaging utilities as well as the art centre and dining room.
Headteacher, Alison Pope says the school will remain closed all this week to pupils but the school has arranged another site for Year 11 pupils to receive face-to-face learning.
In an update to parents on Friday, the head said: "Secondary phase will be closed to all students next week (September 29 – October 3).
"We have arranged face-to-face provision for Year 11 students for three days a week."
She said the face-to-face teaching will take place at North Shropshire College for three days a week starting from Wednesday.
"For Year 11 students only, we have arranged compulsory face-to-face provision to be delivered at North Shropshire College’s Oswestry campus," she said. "Teaching will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10AM – 3PM, starting from Wednesday October 1. Teaching will be delivered by St Martins staff."
The head continued: "Online learning will continue for students in other year groups with more live online lessons next week," added the head. "Regrettably, we are unable to open the secondary phase as we do not have utilities on site including toilets, water, a working fire alarm and electricity to parts of the building.
"Contractors are on site, and we are planning to bring demountables on site to replace facilities. This is dependent on the quotes being approved by insurers and loss adjusters.
"My top priority is pupil safety and to ensure that once pupils are brought back into school that they can remain here. We are working very hard to ensure that everything is in place to ensure school reopens as soon as possible.
"I do not underestimate how frustrating and challenging the school’s closure continues to be for our families. The school site team continue to work with contractors on site and sourcing contractors for future works to start. Progress is being made daily, but the phased return of pupils is dependent on securing these contractors."
The headteacher said Shropshire Fire and Rescue Services were visiting the school on Monday afternoon to review the situation.
"A further update on the reopening of the primary phase is dependent on the outcome of their assessment. Therefore, primary phase is closed to all pupils on Monday 29th September. We will issue a further update on primary as soon as we are able to next week. Again, my top priority is pupil safety and the safe return of pupils to our school.
