Parents angry as reopened school still a building site

Ellie Naisbitt was taken to hospital after she became trapped under a playground barrier at the Prince Bishops Community Primary School in Coundon Grange. Her relatives fear that she will be scarred for life, and are demanding better supervision in the playground.

“Parents aren’t happy about the children being there while the work is going on. It could have been anybody’s child,” a relative said (The Northern Echo, 2006). While the barrier which caused Ellie’s injury has been secured, Durham County Council said that the school had been adequately assessed for its safety, with new measures being taken to protect the children.

The barrier in question was part of safety fencing which was brought in following a risk assessment of the site with the contractor before term began. The council said “the balance of judgement was that the school was safe to open,” (The Northern Echo, 2006).