Roof replacement works at secondary school

Birmingham City Council is set to fund roof replacement and repair works at a secondary school amid an ‘increasing risk of failure’.

The local authority is moving ahead with a £422k project after Kings Heath Secondary School raised concerns over the flat roofs to its annexe and technology blocks.

In particular, an inspection found the annexe roof is in a “poor condition” with the roofing membrane having reached end of its life.

A recently-published council report said there was evidence of “stretch-cracking, joint failure and blistering”.

It added the roof lights were in poor condition while signs of water leaks were also found.

The inspection also determined the technology block required repairs around window detailing.

“The council has a statutory duty to ensure that school buildings are maintained in a safe, compliant and fit-for-purpose condition,” the report said.

“There is a requirement to replace the roof to the annexe block and repair the roof to the technology block.

“The works will ensure the school remains weathertight for the long term.”

Against this backdrop, the council approved the project cost of £422,668 for the works, saying the roofs present an “increasing risk of failure”.

“The proposed scheme provides a long-term and sustainable solution through the replacement and repair,” it said.

“The works will improve reliability, maintain compliance with statutory obligations and reduce the risk of disruption to educational provision.”

On other possible ways to tackle the issues at the school, the council said: “The option to do nothing was also considered and discounted based on the health and safety risks which could cause the school to close and incur more costs than the value of this project due to the risk of damage by water.

“The roofs have been maintained for a long time but due to their age and their unreliability they need repairing and replacing.”

It continued that alternative approaches, including isolated patch repairs, were considered but also rejected.

“They would not address the underlying system failures and would expose the council to ongoing operational, financial and statutory risk,” it said.

“Isolated patch repairs would offer only temporary mitigation [and] are likely to fail due to the extent of the underlying deterioration.”

The works are set to start later this month on October 19, with completion anticipated for March 2027.

The works will be funded from the Schools Condition Allocation Grant, with no general fund resources being used.

By Alexander Brock | Local Democracy Reporting Service