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Ipswich school Broke Hall reopens after legionella discovery

Steve Martin/BBC Broke Hall Community Primary SchoolSteve Martin/BBC
The primary school had been due to open to students on Tuesday 5 September before legionella was discovered

A school that delayed its full reopening from the summer break after the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires' disease was found at the site has reopened.

Broke Hall Primary School in Ipswich discovered traces of the legionella bug during "routine testing".

It should have opened on 5 September.

Jacqui Noon, deputy headteacher, said pupils were taught at alternative locations including a church and BT Adastral Park in Martlesham.

She told BBC Radio Suffolk the water was now safe.

Getty Images BT's site at Adastral Park, Martlesham, SuffolkGetty Images
A number of pupils were taught at BT's site at Adastral Park, Martlesham

"We have the water checked every August and so we don't quite know what has caused this particular outbreak", Ms Noon said.

"We had some absolutely fantastic support from the school community and the community at large".

Most of the school's 600 pupils went to different locations.

Ninety children were sent to Rushmere Baptist Church, Year 4 went to a hall at Rushmere Hall Primary School, several were taught at the BT site, including Year 2 who had lessons in its boardroom.

For one day Years 5 and 6 went to Copleston High School and then returned to Broke Hall after temporary toilets and facilities were arranged.

"We're really grateful to those people for helping us out," she added.

It comes as more than a hundred schools across the country have been forced to close due to potentially dangerous concrete, including four in Suffolk.

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