Ardrossan Academy re-opens after temporary closure
Posted on 22 May 2024
Ardrossan Academy is open for classes and exams following the temporary closure yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, May 21).
The school was closed as a precautionary measure as the council’s rigorous water-quality monitoring regime detected traces of legionella bacteria in one part of the school’s water supply.
A full clean, flush and disinfect of the full water system within the building is being undertaken immediately and follow-up assurance samples will be taken.
While North Ayrshire Council is confident that the measures being taken will remedy the issue, the safety of pupils and staff is paramount. Therefore, the part of the school where the traces were found will remain closed until the test results confirm legionella is no longer present.
Alternative arrangements are being put in place to ensure exams and classes can go ahead as normal.
Ardrossan Academy is served by several separate water systems and as a result, we will be able to continue to operate for pupils in the new S2 to S4 year groups, temporarily relocating all classes to the main building, PE and dining blocks to ensure their education is not interrupted.
Ardrossan Academy Head Teacher Anne Anderson said: “As parents and carers would expect, the wellbeing of our young people and staff must come first.
“While the temporary closure is disappointing, we are aiming to ensure the closure doesn’t impact on the pupils, particularly during this important exam period.”
Councillor Shaun Macaulay, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People, said: “This is unfortunate but shows the importance of having a rigorous testing regime in place for our water supplies.
“The issue was flagged up quickly and action is already being taken to disinfect and clean the system.
“The safety of our pupils and staff is our priority, and while the chances of contracting legionella are incredibly small, it isn’t a risk we are prepared to take.”
Parents will be kept fully informed with updates issued directly from the school.