The scaffolding at Ryde Academy’s science block. picture by Robin Crossley.
AROUND half-a-million pounds could be spent repairing an Isle of Wight secondary school battered by strong winds more than a year ago.
Parts of the science block at Ryde Academy were fenced off after high winds damaged brick cladding in December 2011.
Around £110,000 was spent on erecting scaffolding after a detailed examination uncovered potential damage to other parts of the school. Now it has emerged the repair bill could run to as much as £500,000.
The academy, which was taken over by the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) in September 2011, is still awaiting confirmation of when the school will be rebuilt.
But with any new building unlikely to be ready before September 2017, an AET spokesman said: "Clearly steps have to be taken to remove the scaffolding and make those parts of the building affected safe and sound."
He said the money would come from central government through the Education Funding Agency and not out of the school budget.
He added it was hoped the remedial work to restore the brick clad panels would be complete and the scaffolding removed by the end of the summer.
Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk