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School panel plunge drama
Date published: 06 March 2013
HUNDREDS of pupils were sent home from Waterhead Academy this morning after part of the new £35.5m flagship school fell off — just four months after it opened.
The school was taped off this morning after a 20ft plastic fin above the main entrance plunged to the ground in high winds.
The fin is used to shield windows from the sun and the incident sparked fears about the safety of others which could be seen wobbling.
A security guard heard the crash at 7am and the contractors were called. A text was also sent to parents telling them of the closure.
Only 200 pupils arrived at the academy this morning, and by 9am the majority had received permission to leave by their parents.
Head teacher Nigel McQuoid said: “The reality of a new building is that you do not always get what you expect. We are pretty sure that we will open tomorrow.”
One parent, who has two children at the school, said: “I am a bit annoyed.
“Pupils have been sent home for wearing the wrong shoes, petty things.
“The next thing they are sent home because part of a new school has collapsed.”
Comments
All these new schools are being thrown up and rushed by accountants and budgets. Deadlines are more important than doing the job correctly and safely. I know of many little things from my girls school that havent quite made the mark. Maybe its time to make realistic budgets and timeframes then this sort of thing wouldnt happen.
The whole school had to close? Really?
four months in and its already falling apart.
wont be long before more of it starts falling off.
the council (the previous liberal one) took the cheapest route possible with a steel structure.
which only really has a 30 to 40 year lifespan.
Says it all really. "The reality of a new building is that you do not always get what you expect." Where Oldham is concerned the reality is a high price and a shoddy job. Were there high winds this am?
Let's get some perspective on this! Sometimes things like this happen and when they do someone has to deal with it. Lets be pleased that nobody was hurt and give a bit of praise to the staff who seem to have handled the situation well, kept everyone safe, were quick to inform parents and when some children did show up to school made sure that they went home with the knowledge of their parents. I am sure that repairs and assessments of similar sections are well in hand already.
Fedupoldhamer......you are wrong on the life expectancy of a steel frame, it is actually 83 years and if there is a planned maintenance regime in place instead of reactive, then the life of a steel frame will last significantly longer.
These days, when evaluating tender bids, costs are usually 40% of the process so cheap doesn't always win.
In this instance, the construction team cannot watch every screw being fixed etc., there has to be trust in the subbie and an agreed rectification process.
@mikejh45 the clue is in your own answer.
maintenance regimes are very seldom followed. and in the oldham borough they seem even less frequent than that.
steel frame structures are also more susceptable to damage in fires and schools are always at higher risk compared with other properties.
fedupoldhamer - how is a steel frame more susceptible than any other structure? Are they targeted by arsonists or subject to higher incidencies of spontaneous combustion? Steel frames have to have fire protection, whether it be painted or boarded, to ensure that should a fire occur then the pupils and staff can egress in a safe manner before the structure fails.
I take it you have factual evidence that maintenance plans are seldom followed and that Oldham is one of the biggest culprits?
Have Your Say
I expect the old, well-built, Counthill Grammar School building has not been affected by high winds. Typical, destroy something good because it is old and replace it with tat ....
By Ididsaythat! @ 06/03/2013 12:09:23