Special Needs Pupils Pray for Roof Repairs as Classrooms Shut Down

In a concerning situation for a special needs school in Northern Ireland, over 30 pupils have been forced to stay home for a week due to serious building issues at their school. Sandelford Special School in Coleraine has been grappling with leaks, fungal growth, and mold in multiple classrooms, leading the school to temporarily close those spaces and send students home to be homeschooled.

The families of these vulnerable children say they have been "deserted" by the local Education Authority, which is responsible for maintaining the school facilities. While the Authority claims the classrooms have passed air quality tests and are safe for students to return, parents remain unconvinced, with one mother expressing her disbelief that the Authority would expect them to send their children back into those conditions.

The impact on the students has been significant, with one young boy named Andrew struggling greatly with being away from his beloved school and friends. In a heartbreaking detail, Andrew has taken to praying each night that the school roof will be fixed so he can go back. His mother Wendy Gallagher says the usually happy and content boy has become very unsettled during this disruption.

The school and parents are now facing the prospect of the affected students being temporarily relocated to a different school site to allow for a full roof replacement and other necessary repairs. While not an ideal solution, it is seen as better than the current situation where the children cannot attend their regular classes. The Education Authority has acknowledged the "frustration and disruption" caused by this building crisis, but families are understandably concerned for their children's wellbeing and safety.