Birmingham City Council has announced urgent fire safety repairs are necessary at Lindsworth School in Kings Norton to comply with current safety regulations. A recent fire risk assessment revealed that the school’s fire doors are severely damaged and fail to meet current fire rating standards. Additionally, numerous walls contain holes that could allow fire or smoke to spread between compartments.
To address these issues, the council is seeking approval for a full business case to replace the fire doors and carry out compartmentation works at the school, which supports children with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties. The project’s costs are estimated not to exceed £2.49 million. Meanwhile, temporary remedial works have been implemented to maintain safe teaching conditions during the project’s development.
Beyond fire safety, Lindsworth School faces other urgent repair needs, including a roof replacement expected to cost around £2.5 million. Condition inspections have revealed that both the flat and pitched roofs are in poor condition and require full replacement. The flat roofs, constructed of wood-wool, have significantly deteriorated, and water ingress has affected ceiling areas in the Cadbury Block. Temporary wire mesh has been installed to prevent ceiling panel failure. Furthermore, the toilets in the Cadbury Block are showing signs of wear and require a full refurbishment.
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Temporary mitigation steps like wire mesh installation have been taken, but the council emphasizes that these issues pose a serious risk to the school’s ongoing safe operation. If left unaddressed, leaks and roof damage could disrupt teaching, cause further structural damage, and increase health and safety hazards.
These urgent works are essential to ensure the school remains safe and fully operational for its young learners. Birmingham City Council, which has a statutory duty to maintain safe educational facilities, will present the proposed projects to cabinet members for approval at a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 28. Funding for both projects will come from the School Condition Allocation, so no general funds will be used.
Government-appointed commissioners overseeing the council’s financial recovery have stressed the importance of establishing a regular programme of condition surveys. Such a programme would support medium-term maintenance planning, reducing the need for urgent repairs and improving cost efficiency. Council officers are working with external suppliers to implement this plan over the coming year.