School flood damage

Torrential rain flooded the school last month, causing damage now revealed at 56,000 and forcing the school to close for four days. It was the fourth such incident in recent years.

In answer to Observer questions this week East Sussex County Council said it was concerned about the situation and plans an on-site investigation during the half-term break.

Although staff were heroic in getting the school open for business so soon after the flood, local parents are angry that their children have lost precious time in the classroom especially at the beginning of the school year.

The flood was the most serious the school has suffered.

Chairman of governors Christine Bayliss says some work has been undertaken in previous years to improve drainage.

But she says all at the school are frustrated by the failure of the county council to tackle this effectively.

The school's governors have met to listen to parent governor concerns and agree a plan of action. They heard that some parents feel that the failure to sort out the flooding is because "It's Sidley '¦ so it doesn't matter".

Long-serving governors recalled many years of protracted discussions with the county highways department about improving drainage outside the school entrance with only limited success.

Many felt that because the problem is shared between the highways department and the education department neither gives the work sufficient priority.

Governors resolved to step up action to find an effective solution. Christine Bayliss said: "It is Sidley and yes, it does matter.

"As a first course of action we will seek a meeting with one of the county councillors for the area, Graham Gubby, to see if he can use his influence to get this sorted once and for all."

As well as meeting with Cllr Gubby the governors also want the county council to re-examine a proposed traffic-calming scheme in Buxton Drive to make sure that this won't worsen the flooding problem in future.

A county council spokesman said: "East Sussex County Council officers are very concerned about the flooding and disruption at Sidley School and are acting as quickly as possible to avoid any reoccurrence.

"The flooding at the school was caused by the road drainage system on an adjacent road overflowing onto the school site, after a prolonged downpour.

"A survey of the drainage system will be carried out during half term - which is the first opportunity when the site is not being used. This will establish whether the capacity of the drains needs to be increased or other methods of redirecting excess water need to be adopted.

"Repairs are well underway to the recent flood damage. The cost of this damage was 56,000 which will be covered by insurance."