Schools remain closed due to flooding and heating problems

The Clare School has been shut because of heating and power issues. Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2016)

Falcon Junior School, in Sprowston, and The Clare School, in South Park Avenue, have both been closed since Monday.

Internal flooding has caused problems at Falcon Junior School, with no heating or electricity in the main building after water got into the electrical supply.

Edward Savage, headteacher, said it is unknown when the building will be operational.

From tomorrow (Thursday, January 23), pupils in years three, four and five will be moved to White House Farm Primary in Sprowston.

As a temporary arrangement, year six pupils will remain in their own block at the Falcon Road West school, which has its own power and heating system.

In a letter to parents, Mr Savage thanked families for their support during 'very challenging times'.

Mr Savage said: "The continuing flooding of the school has become untenable and ingress into the electrics has made the site unsafe.

"The electricians will not turn the electricity to the school back on until the water ingress is stopped.

"I fully understand the inconvenience of school closures to families and I have spent the closure days considering how to move forward and to provide an education for your children.

"The timescales at the moment are unknown unfortunately."

The school has worked with senior advisors at Norfolk County Council and the Sapientia Education Trust to ensure the children are taught while building issues are investigated and rectified.

The school is shut today to allow staff to move equipment to White House Farm Primary.

Mr Savage said: "As moving to another school temporarily is a huge change, we will be flexible on late arrivals to help ease the pressure on families."

The school says it will support families logistically challenged by the move to White House Farm.

School times have been adjusted for those attending White House to 9am to 3.30pm to cater for families at other schools. Timings remain the same for the Falcon site.

On both sites, there will be no hot lunches available.

The Clare School has been closed because there is no hot water or heating in school - and will remain shut until the end of the week.

The school said there would be further updates on Facebook and Norfolk County Council's emergency school closure website, as appropriate.

A statement on the Facebook site of the school, which caters for children with complex needs, stated yesterday: "The engineers are on site at the moment but the problem is much, much bigger than they first thought.

"Therefore, the school will remain shut until Monday morning at the earliest.

"I am so sorry for the disruption that this is causing. It is not a decision that has been made lightly at all."