YOUNGER pupils at one of Harrow’s largest secondary schools are spending a second day at home after a serious water leak caused a heating breakdown.
The problem was discovered at Hatch End High School in Headstone Lane, Harrow, on Sunday morning during a routine check and a circular was sent to staff, children and parents via e-mail and text message informing them of the enforced closure of the school yesterday, which should have been the first day of the spring term following the Christmas break.
Headteacher Sue Maguire praised the communication network and said less than 10 of the 1,635-strong cohort unwittingly turned up.
The school is partially shut today, with children in Years 7 to 10 having been asked to remain at home and study if possible via the school’s online portal.
Students in Years 11, 12 and 13 were expected to attend in warm casual clothes rather than school uniform and a truncated timetable, finishing at 2pm, has been imposed.
Ms Maguire told the Observer: “Essentially we have had a water leak that has caused our heating system to fail in our main building.
“We have contractors working around the clock to try to deal with this and are in the process of sourcing alternative heaters.
“As you can appreciate for a school of this size, that takes some time.
“Owing to our very good communication processes we have alerted all students and parents by text and by the website.
“It is not possible to give definitive answers on when full power will be restored until the exact cause of the leak is established.
“All staff are present in school working extremely hard under very difficult circumstances to ensure the least disruption possible.”
Ms Maguire said the school's Sixth Form Centre, its mobile classrooms and Roundhouse Drama studio were not affected by the lack of heating and were in use.
