Pupils move into 'educational village' months after school destroyed in fire
12.12.2023 - 08:53
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
On the morning of August 17 this year, a devastating fire ripped through and destroyed a primary school. Staff, pupils and parents were left devastated after the blaze tore through SS Simon and Jude CE Primary School in Greater Lever, Bolton.
At the height of the blaze, 85 firefighters were tackling the flames and smoke as police cordoned off several streets. Headteacher Katie Jones said at the time: "It is heartbreaking, knowing children are due to return in a couple of weeks time. It's quite emotional."
The fire, which was spotted by caretaking staff, started in the roof of the school with much of the building, including 10 classrooms, wrecked. It will take an estimated three years to build a replacement on the site.
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About 400 pupils were forced to relocate and have been taught at three sites in the local community since the summer fire. But on Monday (December 11), just four months after the blaze, the school has been brought back together into one site.
All the pupils are being welcomed back to a new "educational village" located on the adjacent Walker’s Field, with new buildings and facilities. The construction of the new village began almost immediately after the fire, with the support of the Department of Education.
Dedicated site teams and contractors worked to transform the space into a modern, inviting, and functional area tailored specifically to meet the needs of pupils. Work will now start on rebuilding the original school after which Walker’s Field will be handed back to the community.
Katie Jones said: “We are thrilled to see