University Academy Long Sutton principal reassures angry parents mould and damp issues ‘are in hand’

An academy principal promised that he is doing everything possible to mitigate issues of mould and damp conditions at an ageing secondary school.

University Academy Long Sutton Principal Liam Davé has faced criticism from a group of angry parents who feel that mould in classrooms is affecting their children’s health

The 70-year-old building is due for a rebuild by autumn 2026 and Mr Davé is keen to show parents he is doing all he can to alleviate their concerns - and invited this website to take a look round.

He said: “I agree with parents that the health and safety of their children is a priority.

“I am not denying that the building is past its best in some areas but I assure them it is in hand.

“We are doing our very best to stay on top of it and the building is cleaned twice a day, morning and evening.”

Teachers have the window open and the radiators on in classrooms where necessary to improve circulation by allowing moist air to escape and preventing condensation.

Older parts of the building include the DT rooms and some classrooms in the tower block where Humanities and English are taught. Mr Davé countered parents’ claims that the wrong cleaning products are being used.

He said: “We have been deep cleaning since October and using recommended products and this has been ongoing.

“It is harder during the seasonal change from summer to autumn when the weather is changeable.

“Keeping the windows open in the classroom is part of the mitigation and cleaning is part of our every day process.”

Having been principal for six years, Mr Davé wants to dispel the myth that some parents feel he doesn’t care or is simply waiting for the rebuild in two years’ time.

For example, he said classrooms have been repainted, new flooring laid down and the 700 capacity school, which has 26% special educational needs students, had been ‘more than ever’ pupils first choice.

He said: “We care about what we have got now and we are investing.

“We reinstated the library after the pandemic by converting the gym at a cost of £75,000.

“At the beginning of September we created a special educational needs meeting space which cost £2,000.”

Equally every classroom had new carpets put in and interactive white boards were installed.

Currently a cleaning team of ten work daily in the morning and as soon as the bell goes at the end of the day.

Their supervisor stated that ‘every day is safe and clean for the staff and children to learn.’

One newly qualified teacher, who stayed on at UALS after qualifying, teaches 24 children in a small room at the top of the tower block - the oldest part of the school - where the radiator was on and the window open.

The teacher stated that the room is ‘temperate’ and that it is ‘nice to have fresh air ‘. The teacher also said that the children are happy and may ask for the radiator to be switched off if they get too hot.

Construction has already started for the rebuild with the first transition for the new facilities to be completed by spring 2026 and ‘ensuring the entire campus meets modern standards’ by autumn 2026.

On December 30, Mr Davé will meet with his site manager to look thoroughly at the building’s needs.

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