Academy will re-open to pupils on Friday

Stromness Academy will re-open to pupils tomorrow.

The school was closed today, Thursday, after a pane from the glass roof in the foyer shattered and fell to the ground on Wednesday afternoon, after the school had closed for the day.

Orkney Islands Council staff were immediately on site to assess the situation and the school was closed as a precaution.

According to the OIC, the exact cause of the breakage is not known at present, but it is thought that the “sudden and unusual rise in temperature” yesterday afternoon could have played a part.

Indications are, said the council, that this is a very unusual occurrence and is unlikely to happen again

However, the local authority is taking steps today to ensure that precautionary protection is put in place and the school will re-open  with limited access to the foyer, while work to place a temporary safety net around the glass roof is completed.

On arrival at school tomorrow, Pupils will be advised about arrangements for entering and exiting the school and school staff have plans in place to ensure that pupils can move around the school as easily as possible.

Meanwhile, the council is investigating longer term solutions for the roof. Other council buildings with similar glass roofs will also be inspected as a precautionary measure.

Gavin Barr, the OIC’s executive director of development and infrastructure, said:  “We believe this to be an isolated incident, to which we reacted very swiftly.  The safety of the pupils is paramount and so the school was closed for the day whilst we investigated.

“We’re taking a belt-and-braces approach and have decided to put in place temporary safety netting, whilst we work up a more permanent solution to be carried out at an appropriate time.”