Yorkshire children all smiles as they return to school after huge fire

A mammoth recovery effort has meant pupils from Ash Green Primary School’s upper site in Halifax could return from their half-term break to sit alongside each other once again.

The huge fire on February 1 caused tremendous damage, destroying four classrooms belonging to Years 3 to 6.

Headteacher Mungo Sheppard said: “It’s fantastic to have the kids back. They are buzzing and so are their parents.

“They can’t believe how quickly it’s happened.”

Children were welcomed back into the site on Clough Lane on March 1. Initially they were being taught in the main building, including the school hall, but there were plans to move some into temporary classrooms which have been installed on what used to be the car park.

Mr Sheppard has said previously that other Calderdale schools offered to house Ash Green pupils but there was a strong feeling that youngsters should be kept in Mixenden and back on site as soon as possible.

To do that, the past few weeks have involved a massive clean-up operation. Mr Sheppard said the school has had incredible support from Calderdale Council as well as the project manager and contractors working on the school’s rebuild.

Ash Green has seen a huge outpouring of support from across Halifax, the rest of Calderdale and beyond since the blaze.

As well as remote learning, children have been invited to activities elsewhere, such as art workshops at Dean Clough, training with Halifax Panthers and mental health support from Invictus Wellbeing.

Holy Nativity Church opened its doors in the wake of the fire to offer support and a place to gather.

There has also been huge amounts of fundraising and collections taking place, organised by everyone from businesses and schools to individual pupils.

To donate to the fundraiser organised by Community Foundation for Calderdale, click here.