A SCHOOL on Swindon’s outskirts shut for two days after a fire started in one of the classroom cloakrooms.

Staff and students evacuated Lydiard Millicent CE Primary School after the fire broke out on Monday afternoon.

Firefighters soon arrived at the scene and put out the blaze while parents picked up their children and took them home safely.

The school was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday while the fire and water damage caused to two classrooms was assessed and repaired.

The school is part of the Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust. Ceo Jez Piper said: "The fire was quickly contained and the school was evacuated very quickly and effectively, with no harm to any pupil or member of staff.

"The school sprinkler system worked well and the fire brigade attended the site very quickly, ensuring that the fire was fully out and to secure the area.

"In order to ensure that the school is safe and secure, and to enable the emergency services to assess the cause of the fire, we took the decision initially to close the school for two days.

"This will be reviewed in light of the emergency services’ assessment of the school. Parents and children will be advised of when and how we will fully reopen the school as soon as possible.

"The staff and pupils should be highly commended for their swift action in evacuating the building and in assessing the situation. Support will be given to all pupils.

"We will continue to work closely with the emergency services as the incident is investigated and will ensure that everyone involved is kept up to date. "

Pupils switched to remote learning from home while their classrooms were closed. Phone calls to the facility were diverted to a partner school at Ridgeway Farm, though Lydiard Millicent school office staff could still respond to emails.

Executive principal Carly Luce wrote in a letter to parents and carers seen by the Adver: “Thank you so much for your support and patience at pick up.

“We are so very proud of how our school community worked so well together to keep everyone safe.

“As part of the site now has to be secured and cleared, we do need to close the school. We are very sorry for any inconvenience [the school closure] will cause but we have no choice other than to prioritise the safety of our school family.

“We know that some children will have left items on site but we are not able to permit to access to these yet.”

A Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “Firefighters from Swindon, Stratton and Westlea were called to a school in Lydiard Millicent at 1.46pm on Monday afternoon.

“Firefighters extinguished a small fire in a ground floor toilet using two sets of breathing apparatus and one hose reel.

“The stop message was received at 4.27pm.”