Flood-stricken Harris Primary Academy Kenley will remain shut next week.

The school has been closed since February 7 amid severe flooding in Godstone Road, which has been shut for more than two weeks.

Croydon Council and Sutton and East Surrey Water have been using the academy's playing fields to hold water pumped away from the Godstone Road water treatment centre during an ongoing battle to prevent it flooding.

Harris Kenley pupils will be bussed to a primary school in Selhurst for classes next week.

The council has written to children's parents to explain why the school would remain closed after the end of the half-term break this week.

Paul Greenhalgh, director of children, families and learning, said: "Water levels in the water table in this area have not dropped significantly, and with the forecast of of further rain this week to continue with an emergency plan for the school in the period after half term."

He added: "All those involved in making these arrangements have done a great job so far so we hope you will continue to give them your full support: these are highly unusual circumstances for which we all need to do a little extra to manage the situation well."

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Water has been pumped away from the treatment works onto the academy's playing fields

From Wednesday next week, free buses will carry pupils in all the academy's years except year 6 to classes at the Crescent Primary School in Selhurst.

Previously, alternative provision had been offered to the academy's year 3, 4 and 5 pupils at Woodcote Primary School and Woodcote High School. 

Younger children had been given activities to do through the academy's website.

Harris Primary Academy Purley will continue to host year 6 classes.

Kate Magliocco, Harris Primary Academy Kenley's headteacher, told parents: "The situation with our site and the continuing bad weather is highly unusual but from Wednesday next week we will begin our new temporary routine at the Crescent School."


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