'We may not be back in school until summer'

Head teacher Joanne Andrews said the school was unsure of the cost of the damage

BBC Joanne Andrews stood in a classroom where the flooring has been taken out. A humidifier is on the left — Head teacher Joanne Andrews said the school was unsure of the cost of the damage

A head teacher has said she was "devastated" after her school in Leicestershire was flooded, leaving some pupils unable to return to their classrooms.

The whole of the ground floor of Badgerbrook Primary School, in Whetstone, including 10 classrooms, a kitchen, and hall, was left covered in water on 6 January after a nearby brook broke its banks.

Joanne Andrews said the flooring and a "huge amount" of items were ruined, including books, wooden furniture, toys and laptops.

The school has found temporary classrooms for many pupils, but Mrs Andrews said: "It looks like we may not be back in school until the next academic year."

Mrs Andrews said the school had never flooded before

Badgerbrook Primary School Flooded hall — Mrs Andrews said the school had never flooded before

Mrs Andrews said the school was flooded on a teacher training day, with pupils due to return the following day.

Due to flooding in the area, she made the decision early in the morning for the training to be done online instead.

The premises officer - who was on site - contacted Mrs Andrews soon after to say the school was surrounded by water.

"He tried to stop it entering, but it was impossible," she said.

Mrs Andrews said the whole school had been decorated in the last 12 months

A school hall - a basketball net can be seen at one end, while they are tables and chairs stacked up on the floor — Mrs Andrews said the whole school had been decorated in the last 12 months

Mrs Andrews said the clear-up started after assessors confirmed it was safe for staff to enter and they tried to save as many resources as possible.

She is unsure of the cost of repairing the damage, but thinks it could be "hundreds of thousands of pounds".

Listen: 'It's a huge, huge clear-up process'

"We are absolutely devastated," she said.

Pupils at the school, which is part of the Discovery Schools Academies Trust, have been learning online since the flood.

Mrs Andrews said the flood happened after a nearby brook burst its banks

Badgerbrook Primary School Flood water covers the floor of a school room. A row of three blue chairs stand in the water. Books are stacked on another set of chairs and a table. — Mrs Andrews said the flood happened after a nearby brook burst its banks

Four upstairs classrooms were unaffected by flooding, so from Monday pupils in Year 1 and Year 3 will be based there.

Children in Reception will learn at nearby Holmes Park, where the Leicestershire and Rutland County Football Association is based.

Pupils in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 will be taken by bus to Wellington Place Primary School, in Market Harborough - a new school within the same trust.

The school is still looking for somewhere for Year 2 children to learn and Mrs Andrews said getting all pupils "back to face-to-face learning" was her priority.

Contractors have been in to rip out the flooring after the school was left covered in a few centimetres of water

Flooring is ripped up in a school room. Trays and various equipment is stacked on top of tables. — Contractors have been in to rip out the flooring after the school was left covered in a few centimetres of water

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