A BRADFORD on Avon primary school headteacher has condemned vandals who have targeted her school for the third time since the end of September.

Tracey Dunn, headteacher at Fitzmaurice Primary School, said the vandals had shown no respect for the school or its 300-plus pupils.

The school was targeted over November 24 and 25 by vandals, who damaged a large fixed tepee, pulling off its door, ripping through the fabric and pulling up the skirting.

They also damaged the door of a polytunnel, used to help children learn how to grow produce and learn to love gardening and horticulture.

Mrs Dunn voiced her frustration and disappointment, saying: “The children don’t understand why it’s happening and it’s a drain on our school resources.

“We will get them repaired but we don’t know how much it will cost. We’ve had a huge amount of support from the local community. It’s been fantastic.”

“The damage just makes it that much harder for us and the children and it interferes with the delivery of the school curriculum.

“It’s thoughtless and the people responsible have given no consideration for anybody other than themselves.”

PC Darren Foulger, from Wiltshire West Community Policing Team, said: “This damage has been inconvenient and upsetting for everyone at the school, and this isn’t the first time the school has been targeted in this way.

“This mindless vandalism has had a huge impact on the primary school children and staff and is affecting their education, as the tepee was used as an outdoor learning space. “We know there are people in the community who will have information about this and we hope they will do the right thing and come forward to speak to us.”

The tepee is used as shelter in bad weather and for school activities, such as forest schools, learning about the outdoors and nature.

Supporters have already launched a £1,500 appeal to repair or replace the damaged teepee and polytunnel.

Appeal organiser Emma Poursain, whose son Dylan, six, goes to the school, said: “These outdoor items of equipment are a huge asset to our school.

“If we can pull together as a community then maybe we can raise enough to repair the damage or even replace it. Who knows, there may be enough to look into CCTV to prevent it happening again.”

To donate, go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/emma-louise-593?utm_id

Anyone with information on the damage should contact PC Foulger on 101, quoting crime reference 54180112010, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.