A minister has said the government is continuing to work with Tameside Council in a bid to resolve the ongoing problems at a Denton primary school following a multi-million pound refurbishment. 

It followed Denton MP Andrew Gwynne seeking an update, after raising the plight of Russell Scott Primary School in the House of Commons back in September and demanding an urgent meeting with then Education Secretary Gavin Williamson. 

The Clare Street school has been besieged by problems since a £2.7 million rebuild was carried out by collapsed construction firm Carillion in 2015 and the story has made national headlines. 

On Monday (6 December), Labour MP Gwynne asked during Education Topical Questions in Parliament: "Three months ago, I raised the appalling conditions at Russell Scott Primary School in Denton, dubbed 'Britain's worst built school where pupils paddle in sewage and get sick by toxic fumes' by the Daily Mirror, after a botched £5 million refurbishment by Carillion. 

"What progress has the Department for Education and the officials there made with Tameside Council to get this school urgently rebuilt?" 

Andrew Gwynne during Education Topical Questions on Monday

In response, Robin Walker MP, Minister of State for School Standards, said: "I remember well the Hon. Gentleman's Westminster Hall debate on this issue and we continue to work with Tameside Council.

"Of course, in that, he did put in a bid for the next round of the Priority School Building Programme. As I mentioned earlier, we are consulting on our approach to do that." 

Conservative MP Robin Walker responding from the front bench

In a statement after the exchange, Mr Gwynne told the Tameside Reporter: "It's now been three months since I raised the issue of Russell Scott Primary School. Back then, I secured a parliamentary debate on the subject, and stressed to the government the urgent need for their assistance in getting the school up to scratch.

"I was grateful for the seriousness by which the Minister treated the issue but am also conscious that time is of the essence, hence my decision to ask for an update from the Minister at Education Questions.

"The condition that Russell Scott Primary School was left in after the £5 million botched Carillion refurbishment is a disgrace, and no child should be forced to learn in a building that is not fit for purpose. The government must continue and accelerate its efforts to help this school and these pupils. I will continue to work with the government, and put pressure on them to act as quickly as possible."

Tameside Council say it is continuing to work with the school and has sought advice from the government about 'funding solutions'. 

A spokesperson for the authority said: “Following completion of a £2.7m refurbishment of Russell Scott Primary School in 2015, the school, the community and the Council have been left disappointed after the works carried out by Carillion were found to be of poor quality.

“The Council have worked and continue to work closely with Russell Scott Primary School to ensure any immediate and remedial works were carried out so that there is no risk to pupils and staff.   

“The Council have sought advice from the Department for Education on potential solutions given that school condition allocations are unlikely to meet the cost of resolving the issues. Unfortunately, there are no immediate funding solutions but officers will continue to work with the Complex Projects Team at the DfE to address the obvious funding gap.”

Russell Scott Primary School, on Clare Street in Denton 

The sorry saga has been rumbling on for years. 

Back in May 2016, headteacher Steve Marsland and school governors even took the extraordinary decision to close the school amid ‘serious safety concerns’ in the building.

Widely reported problems have included sewage back flow and a once serviceable playing field which was deemed unfit for purpose, ‘filled with rubble and merely topped with turf, rain resulting in widespread flooding with the playing area likened to ‘The Somme’.

Construction company Carillion went bust in January 2018.

We reported back in September that the school could potentially be demolished and rebuilt due to the ongoing structural problems and spoke to Mr Marsland, who called for changes 'rapidly and urgently' and questioned the lack of accountability from those in charge.

Russell Scott Primary School head teacher Steve Marsland

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