Children set to return to Halifax primary school after fire

Pupils are set to return to the site on Clough Lane on March 1, just a month after the devastating fire which destroyed four classrooms.

Headteacher Mungo Sheppard said it is remarkable that a clean-up project that would usually have taken months has been done in only a few weeks.

The school has had "incredible support" from Calderdale Council, he said, as well as the project manager and contractors working on the school's rebuild.

He added there has also been a massive outpouring of support from the community.

"We've been carried along by the wave of optimism from everyone that has made us feel that we can achieve anything," he said.

In a message to parents he said: "The last two weeks has seen teams of workers through the day and night to restore power, heating and water, and to dismantle classrooms to deep clean and then reassemble.

"We are very hopeful that next week we will take possession of temporary classrooms into our current car park, emergency furniture to fit out the rooms and the final parts of our emergency resource orders needed to reopen our Upper Site building and welcome our children back.

"We are also extremely hopeful that the complete clean of the building will be complete and the demolition programme at such a stage that our staff can get back into the building and set up completely new learning new learning provision for our Key Stage 2 children.

"After agreement from our governors and local authority, staff at the upper site will work in school all day on Monday, February 28 to prepare the environment to ensure that our upper site children will all return to the upper site on Tuesday, March 1.

"For all of us who stood and watched our school burn on February 1 it is nothing short of remarkable to be committing to reopening on March 1 with only 14 face-to-face days of learning lost.

"A project that would have taken months has been squeezed into three weeks!"

Mr Sheppard has said previously that other Calderdale schools offered to house Ash Green pupils but there was a strong feeling that youngsters should be kept in Mixenden.

As well as remote learning, children have been invited to activities elsewhere over the past weeks, including by Halifax Panthers and Eureka!

Invictus Wellbeing has been offering counselling and wellbeing support and Dean Clough has hosted several workshops with its artists Jake Attree and Jeffrey Andrews.

There has also been a massive fundraising push from schools, residents, businesses and community groups all over Calderdale.

An online fundraiser organised by Community Foundation for Calderdale has so far raised more than £13,500.

To donate, visit https://localgiving.org/appeal/AshGreenSchAppeal/Read about how Halifax has been rallying round to support Ash Green School after the devastating school HERE