PUPILS and staff at a Victorian Rawdon school are having to work under difficult conditions, it was claimed this week.

Gary White, the new head teacher at Rawdon Littlemoor Junior and Infant School admits the present building, built in 1878, is presenting problems.

Coun Graham Kirkland (Lib-Dem, Otley and Wharfedale) and Coun Brian Cleasby (Lib-Dem, Horsforth and Rawdon) have joined forces to fight for improvements at the school.

They explain: "The state of the school is of constant concern to parents and residents, as well as councillors. Currently over 60 per cent of the school is housed in prefabricated portable buildings, most of which are over 30-years-old, and school toilets are outside the main building. Repairs to the portable buildings can be no more than temporary. As soon as they fix one area another part is found to be rotten."

Mr White, who took up his duties as head teacher on Monday said: "The worrying thing is the amount of money it is costing to maintain the building."

But Mr White feels he has come to a "wonderful" school where the children, staff and parents are happy.

A spokeswoman for Leeds Education Authority said: "We accept that some work is needed. The school was included in our New Deal for Schools bid to the Government - unfortunately it was not one of the successful schemes. However, the buildings present no health and safety concerns. The main school building was refurbished to a high standard six years-ago, and is in a good state of repair.

"We intend to make provision for any necessary works to the temporary classrooms in this year's capital programme."

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