The closure followed serious vandalism to a power generator at the start of the summer holidays, which caused extensive damage to the school’s electrical systems and raised significant safety concerns.
What followed was a coordinated effort involving the school leadership, Kent County Council (KCC) officers, and contractors, all working together to find a safe and timely solution.
Although the damage occurred earlier in the summer, the decision to close most of the school was not made until mid-August. As repair work progressed, it became clear that key parts and services might not be sourced in time for the start of term. Based on expert advice available at the time, the Headteacher – who is responsible for operational decisions where safety is concerned – made the difficult call to announce a temporary closure.
“I want to recognise the hard work of everyone involved, from KCC officers and contractors to the school’s leadership and staff, who worked tirelessly... to get the school ready to welcome pupils back.”
Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Beverley Fordham, said: “I completely understand how worrying this situation has been for parents and carers, especially so close to the start of term. I want to thank them for their patience and understanding during what has been an uncertain time.
“I also want to recognise the hard work of everyone involved, from KCC officers and contractors to the school’s leadership and staff, who worked tirelessly throughout the summer holidays to get the school ready to welcome pupils back for the start of the new school year.
“Their determination to find safe, practical solutions meant that disruption to children’s education was kept to a minimum, and I’m grateful for the collaborative effort that made this possible.
“I feel that families were exposed to a lot of misinformation on social media. In instances where the operations of a school are interrupted, we’d urge families to only rely on communications from the school itself and if they have any queries they should direct them to the school.”
Throughout the holiday period, KCC officers worked closely with the school to identify alternative procurement routes, source hard-to-find parts, and coordinate contractors – all while ensuring that health and safety standards were upheld. As the work progressed, it became clear that a full reopening by the start of term was achievable, and efforts were focused on making that happen.
While offers of support from local schools and organisations were appreciated, the priority remained on restoring Sevenoaks Primary School to full operational use as quickly and safely as possible.
Thanks to the combined efforts of school staff, contractors, and KCC teams, all pupils were able to return to school on Tuesday 3rd September – much earlier than originally anticipated.
KCC recognises the disruption this situation caused and appreciates the patience and understanding shown by families. This experience highlights the importance of clear communication, collaborative working, and keeping children’s safety at the heart of every decision.
