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Investigation after school ceiling collapses

Google Slains School, exterior shot of rural school building and playground next to a country road and trees, under a blue sky.Google
The damage was discovered on Monday morning

A number of Aberdeenshire schools are being assessed after the partial collapse of a ceiling.

Part of the hall ceiling at Slains School in Collieston was found to have collapsed on Monday morning before the school day started.

The building has been deemed unsafe, and partial demolition will be required to make the building and site safe.

Aberdeenshire Council said it had identified a "small number" of schools that have the same type of roof construction in certain parts of their buildings.

The authority added the circumstances around the failure of the roof were because of a "cumulation of factors which appear to be unique to Slains School".

"Part of the school hall ceiling collapsed on Monday morning before the school day started," a council spokesperson confirmed in a statement.

"The safety and wellbeing of our pupils is our top priority, and the school was subsequently closed to pupils for the rest of the day while property staff and external structural engineers assessed the damage.

"The initial investigation indicated the primary cause of the roof failure relates to the structural design and construction methods used when the school was built, however our investigations are still ongoing."

Asbestos removal

The statement said the building has deemed unsafe and will have to be partially demolished.

"The impacted areas are the gym hall and the two adjacent school classrooms, although further areas of the building may be impacted by partial demolition works. A contractor will carry out the demolition to make the building safe next week," it said.

"As a precaution, fencing has been put up around the school, entrance gates have been locked, and parking has been restricted along the road adjacent to the school."

As there is asbestos at the site the work will include an asbestos survey, management and clearance.

Pupils are attending Port Erroll School whilst work is carried out.

An initial investigation of others schools has been under way this week. Slains School was built in 1965 and has 22 pupils.