A MASSIVE clear-up operation is underway today at a school near York after severe flooding when thunderstorms swept the area last night.

Outwood Academy Easingwold has been closed to all but Year 10 pupils today, and a summer concert planned for this evening has been cancelled.

The school said in a statement that technology, English, ICT and Modern Foreign Languages classrooms had all been flooded, and access to the maths block was affected and corridor ceilings near the dining hall were damaged.

It said the girls and boys toilets and locker areas were also flooded, making this area unusable.

It said:"Flooding and poor drainage has been a long term problem in the school for many years.

"Outwood Grange Academies Trust have already started the first phase of the large scale mechanical and electrical works that includes plans to resolve the drainage issues and end the recurrent flooding that has beset the school.

"The first phase of these major improvement works began in June, rewiring large sections of the school and installing a much needed new heating system and pipe work. This is part of a £5 million renovation of the site.

"Future plans include the installation of a new water attenuation system to improve drainage to future proof the site from flooding.

"This work will be linked to plans to build a new sports hall by September 2019."

The statement said a temporary drainage solution was now required to ensure such large scale flooding of this nature did not affect the school in this way again.

It said the difficult decision was made to partially close the school for health and safety reasons, and while the Trust recognised the inconvenience the closure caused and regretted the loss of learning, it had to place students' well-being and safety at the forefront of its decisions.

"The damage has been assessed and actions taken to quickly clear up the flood and drainage water and relocate departments so that the school can be reopened tomorrow.  

"Year 10 students attended school as many of them were due to attend the Romeo and Juliet production at the pop up Rose Theatre in York.

"Their lessons were all moved to the science classrooms that were unaffected by the flood.  

"Sadly, tonight’s summer concert has had to be postponed and will be reorganised for September."