A SCHOOL IN Wicklow is having to hold special education classes in storage rooms, corridors and stairwells after water damage from a faulty roof destroyed the school’s special education needs (SEN) classrooms following a storm last March.

An application for emergency funding from the Department of Education to replace the roof and fix the leak was denied, leaving the school unable to enrol additional needs classes for the following school year.

Three SEN classrooms, a sensory room, changing rooms and other disability facilities at Wicklow Educate Together National School were destroyed by significant water ingress leaving them unsuitable for teaching.

Snow that had accumulated on the top of the additional needs classrooms melted and water leaked through the ceiling and down the walls, destroying the extensive electrical and mechanical services within the ceiling voids.

Wicklow Educate Together National School Wicklow Educate Together National School

Aftermath of the water damage caused by the faulty roof Wicklow Educate Together National School Wicklow Educate Together National School

This has left schoolchildren with additional learning needs without a suitable place to learn and interact with their peers for the past eight months.

The school library is currently being used for the children with the highest additional needs, while other pop-up classrooms have been set up in various parts of the mainstream school.

These temporary solutions include room dividers in corridors, storage rooms, stairwells, common areas, bathroom spaces and some support rooms to try and accommodate the additional needs of students from the closed part of the building.

‘Actively causing harm’

Sandra Quinn, a parent of one of the children in the SEN classes, told The Journal the “emergency set-up is not only inhibiting their ability to learn, it’s also actively causing harm to their development and mental health”.

The destroyed classrooms included a sensory room with noise-dampening panels and equipment used by children in the mainstream school.

The makeshift sensory room is now in the same room as the school’s server, which creates “intolerable levels of heat and noise” for the children who use it, according to a statement from school leadership.

Sandra said that as part of the application process for the emergency funding, an occupational therapist from the HSE’s Children’s Disability Network Team assessed the impact the lack of adequate SEN classrooms was having on the children and that these reports were sent to the Department of Education.

She also said that teachers at the school had done their best to make the transition as smooth as possible, but that the current situation at the school is not sustainable.

An independent engineering report paid for by the school found that there was a fundamental design flaw in the original roof and that it now needs to be replaced entirely.

Emails from the school to parents seen by The Journal show the school applied to the Department of Education for funding in June to repair the roof as part of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS), but the application was denied.

A subsequent appeal in October was also denied by the Department.

The Department informed the school that because the building was built in 2016, it was too new to require a roof replacement. They suggested instead that the school contact the original contractor about the flawed design.

However, this contractor went into liquidation in 2018 and so no longer exists, something the school says the Department is aware of.

Technical visit arranged

A spokesperson for the Department of Education told The Journal it is aware of the issue and is working with the school. 

“The EWS is intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides only an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered,” the spokesperson continued, adding that “a technical visit has been arranged to work through the most appropriate solution to addressing the roof issue”.

A statement from school leadership says they are also concerned that future adverse weather may cause further damage to the SEN classrooms and roof.

Further damage to the school was caused during this week’s cold spell, resulting in an active leak in the school hall where the school holds indoor PE classes, assemblies and events. The leak has forced the school to cancel a ‘Winter Fair’ that was due to take place today.

Local TD and Taoiseach Simon Harris is said to have been made aware of the situation, along with Minister for Education Norma Foley and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.

The Journal reached out to the Taoiseach’s office for comment, but no response was received.

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Conor O’Carroll is an investigative reporter with The Journal Investigates.

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