After Storm Eva hit, eight schools were severely affected by flooding. Two of these had to be evacuated completely and pupils are still being educated in alternative premises.
One of these schools is Burnley Road Academy, whose younger pupils are working at Savile Park School at Heath in Halifax.
The Head teacher of Burnley Road Academy, Claire Cope, said:
“We are still recovering from the devastating floods that took place on Boxing Day 2015. Like many other buildings in Mytholmroyd, our school was badly damaged by the floods. Water flooded classrooms, rooms and offices on the ground floor, and left debris and mud around the building and in the playgrounds.
“Six months on and our children are doing fantastically. Although our Mytholmroyd site won’t reopen until September this year, we have been really lucky to be welcomed by fantastic schools, and the children have adapted really well to their new surroundings.”
The Head teacher of Savile Park School at Heath, Karen Lomas, said:
“I think everyone was shocked at the level of devastation from the flooding at the end of last year, so at Savile Park School we were delighted to be able to help accommodate pupils from Burnley Road Academy who were unable to return to their building.
“Pupils from the school arrived at Heath in January, and have fitted in brilliantly. Many have made new friends and there are nice little touches, like our children say they have been playing with ‘the blue children’ because of the colour of their uniform. It’s been lovely seeing the children get on so well and I’m sure many Savile Park pupils will be disappointed when the Academy pupils return to Mytholmroyd.”
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services, Cllr Megan Swift, said:
“Thanks to the hard work of head teachers and the Council’s school support team, in the school holidays, none of these pupils had a single day off school, and have really been welcomed by pupils at Savile Park.
“We’re helping the schools get back on their feet – the buildings are undergoing repairs and we are replacing contents, but under trying circumstances it’s been really heart-warming how pupils have adapted and even made new friends.”