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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Kate Lally

Desperate appeal for education supplies for kids whose school is 'crumbling'

Parents and teachers are appealing for supplies for children whose primary school is said to be "crumbling".

Lydiate Primary school closed suddenly last week , following concerns about the safety of its building.

While an inspection is carried out, pupils will temporarily be "rehoused" at Maghull High 's sixth form block - but children are still without some equipment.

Lydiate Primary School is closed because of concerns about structures in it building. (Liverpool Echo/Andy Teebay)

Faye Davies, chair of the PTA at Lydiate Primary, has launched an appeal for supplies on social media.

She wrote: "We have been asked by the Governors to support on some specifics, we need some help."

Ms Davies went on to say the kids need: toilet steps, crate-size boxes to store lunch boxes and bags, playground equipment such as skipping ropes, vinyl table cloths, cushions and bean bags, and large rugs.

More than 300 pupils are thought to be affected by the closure of Lydiate Primary School. (Liverpool Echo/Andy Teebay)

There was also a request for a water cooler and somewhere for pupils to hang their coats - but these have since been provided.

Local businesses have also offered their support.

Paradigm martial arts centre in Maghull are offering a two-week free trial for all Lydiate primary pupils to "keep them busy during this stressful time".

And The Village Diner on Moss Lane says it is offering free coffees and teas for mums and dads.

The PTA has said they may also need a Christmas tree and decorations - but they won't know this until next week, when they expect to find out the results of the survey into the building.

A meeting between parents and governors took place on Tuesday evening, and a number of parents who attended said teachers were "in tears" .

One dad, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the ECHO: "[The problem] was an isolated find by the new caretaker. The governors then started asking questions and digging deeper, and there was enough to draw concern.

"The governors said they weren't confident sending children into the building, so closed the school.

"Governors who attended the school, along with council staff, witnessed the concrete falling 30ft, and confirmed verbally that it could cause 'a fatality'.

"They had slabs of concrete out for parents to see at the meeting. Some of them looked like they weighed about 5kg - and these had fallen some 30ft from a structure in the playground that supports classrooms above.

"We still don't know what the extent of the damage is or what repairs will be needed.

"Teachers were in tears. The pictures [we] were shown looked like a derelict school, it was harrowing."

The school - which had 302 pupils at its last Ofsted inspection in June this year - apologised to parents for the inconvenience but said they would not put the safety of pupils and teachers at risk.

A spokesman for Sefton Council said: “Lydiate Primary school will remain closed while we work on a joint solution to the issues raised.

“As an interim measure, Sefton Council has been able to secure temporary accommodation for the pupils and staff of Lydiate Primary School.

“Maghull High School (Ormonde Drive, L31 7AW) has agreed to accommodate all Lydiate pupils and teachers with effect from [today], while arrangements are made so that they are able to move back in to their school as soon as possible.

"Updates from Lydiate Primary will be provided to parents and carers via normal communication channels.”

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