No barrier to safe school reopening

Temporary barriers are being used at a Harrogate primary school to help meet the new social distancing rules, funded by a local housebuilder.

More than 30 barriers have been loaned to Western Primary School from Persimmon Homes Yorkshire to help ensure the safety of both children and parents.

Tim Broad, acting headteacher at Western Primary School, said: “As we reorganised the school for its reopening we felt we needed more visual barriers to help define the segregated areas, rather than simply cones or marked out lines on the ground.

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“We approached the team at the King Edwin Park development to see if they could assist and they couldn’t have been more helpful.”

The barriers are being used to create a one-way system in the playground area so parents can safely pick-up and drop-off their children.

In addition, part of the playground has been sectioned into three clearly defined areas so that more than one group of children can safely use the outdoor space at any time.

Tim added: “The Persimmon Homes team have certainly gone above and beyond to help us.

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“They not only disinfected the barriers in advance but delivered and helped to put them up for us, wearing safety gloves the entire time.

“This is an unprecedented time for us all, but the safety of our pupils and their families is our priority.

“Persimmon Homes has made it clear if we need any assistance, including sandbags, to simply call them.

“We very much appreciate their kind and helpful approach.”

The housebuilder is covering the hire cost of the barriers which will be with the school for the remainder of the summer term.

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Martin Fairbrother, assistant site manager at the Persimmon Homes King Edwin Park development, added: “We were more than happy to help Western Primary School.

“We are all living and working in these strange times and believe it is important to support others where you can.”

The Persimmon Homes King Edwin Park development is located off Penny Pot Lane, just two miles from Western Primary School, and features a collection of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes.