Fin-fall school passes checks

Workmen inspecting the damage.

WATERHEAD Academy reopened today following safety work on the flagship £35.5 million school.

Around 1,370 pupils were told to stay at home yesterday after a large metal 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.

Contractors from Willmott Dixon, which built the Huddersfield Road school, and the company which installed the fins were on-site yesterday.

Waterhead Academy opened in November and is one of five new high schools in the borough.

Principal Nigel McQuiod said: “Yesterday morning’s high winds tore away a light deflector from one of the academy’s front windows and blew it on to the central plaza.

“These deflectors are large fins, similar to a venetian blind, made of lightweight metal and used to deflect sunlight.

“While the building contractor and manufacturer of the deflectors assessed the situation, we closed the school for obvious health and safety reasons.”

A statement from the school added: “Precautionary measures have been taken to secure the fins and an investigation is under way into the cause of the incident.”

The contractors were called to the school at 7.10am and were on site 15 minutes later.