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£30,000 to keep out vandals

Alice McKeegan and Yakub Qureshi
7/ 7/2008

TEACHERS at a vandal-hit school have had to use thousands of pounds intended for books on hiring security guards.

Shawclough primary in Rochdale was forced to spend £30,000 from its budget on private patrols after the school was nearly set on fire by arsonists.

The cash was earmarked for redecoration and books but staff say it was the only way to fend off vandals.

Teachers say they are facing three cases of violence, vandalism and intimidation every week.

They fear the only option will be to install `fortress style' security fences and metal shutters at a cost of £200,000.

Groups of teenagers have turned the school grounds into a drinking den, stones and bricks are regularly thrown at windows, and staff have been threatened.

The 450-pupil school on Thrum Hall Lane has extensive grounds, including two playing fields and a landscaped nature trail.

Security guards were hired to patrol the grounds every evening from April last year until December when money ran out. Although CCTV cameras have been installed at the school and community police have stepped up patrols, the problems with the yobs have only increased.

Deputy head Julie Harrison said staff were now considering desperate measures.

She said: "Some of the money would have gone towards refurbishing parts of the school building. It hasn't been painted since the 1970s so that would have been a priority.

"The £30,000 bill left us with a very difficult budget situation and we had to make drastic spending cuts. This shouldn't have happened.

"The disappointing aspect is that after spending the money, we are back to where we were and worse."