FURIOUS parents have slammed a primary school after a rat infestation forced them to stop hot lunches.
Children had been served cold meals from the beginning of the school year when the pests were found in the kitchen.
Parents at Prince Bishops Community Primary School have been left furious after a rat infestation left the pupils without hot meals Credit: Facebook/Prince Bishops Community Primary School
Staff had caught sight of the pests inside a store cupboard on the premises Credit: Getty
Prince Bishops Primary School in Coundon Grange, County Durham, has faced backlash following a rat infestation on the premises.
Staff caught sight of the pests in a store cupboard after renovation works that had taken place over the half-term holidays.
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Following the discovery of the rats, the main kitchen was temporarily closed to investigate the problem, with the school’s separate kitchen classroom on the other side of the building used for lunch preparation.
Nick Blackburn, chief executive of Lingfield Education Trust, the multi-academy trust that oversees the school, said: “The safety, health, and wellbeing of the children in our care is always our top priority, and for that reason the main school kitchen at Prince Bishops Primary School was temporarily closed at the start of this term.
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“Following building work carried out over the summer, school staff identified signs of pest activity in a storage cupboard when they returned to school.
“As a precaution and in line with best practice, the main kitchen was closed while the issue was investigated and addressed.”
To get rid of the rats, Prince Bishops Primary School called in a number of specialist companies and organisations to deep clean the infested locations.
“Environmental Health and Durham County Council were involved from the outset, and a specialist company was brought in to carry out a deep clean of the affected areas,” Blackburn continued.
“The issues with the recent building work that contributed to this happening have also been identified and addressed, with additional measures put in place to prevent a reoccurrence.
“During this period, the school’s separate kitchen classroom, located at the other end of the building and used for cooking and baking lessons, was inspected and confirmed as clean and suitable for use by Environmental Health. Lunch preparation was therefore temporarily relocated there.”
Angry parents have shared their outrage after finding out the closure of the main kitchen meant that their children had not eaten hot meals since returning to school after the summer holidays.
One parent complained that the “children are still eating lunches in the hall where the rats are.”
Blackburn explained: “Children were provided with cold lunches, as well as some hot lunches ordered from local suppliers. Parents were also advised that children were welcome to bring packed lunches from home if they preferred.”
Yesterday, parents were informed that children would receive hot lunches again after a successful health and safety inspection.
“Following an inspection, Environmental Health confirmed that the kitchen could be re-opened, and hot lunch service resumed on Thursday, September 17.
“The school will continue to monitor the kitchen closely and maintain ongoing hygiene, cleaning, and pest-control measures.”
Throughout the process, parents were informed about the issue, Prince Bishops School has confirmed.
“Headteacher Claire Patchett emailed parents on September 3 to explain the issues arising from the summer building work, and provided a further update on September 7 confirming that the temporary lunch arrangements were continuing.
“While no parents have approached her directly with concerns, she has also been liaising with parent governors to provide reassurance and updates.
“Staff members have received no reports from pupils that they have been distressed by the temporary arrangements or the presence of pest-control professionals.”
Blackburn continued to thank the pupils and parents for both their maturity and patience while the issue was resolved, saying: “We want to thank the children for showing such maturity throughout this time.
We are also grateful to parents and families for their patience and support, as well as to our staff and the professionals who have worked to ensure the children remain safe and well.”
