PFR Scheme Better Protects Burnley Road Academy from Future Flooding
November 2023 – Completion
September 2025 – SuDS / Resilico
Challenge
Burnley Road Academy in Mytholmroyd, Calderdale, has served the village and its surrounding communities since 1879 and today provides primary education to around 200 pupils aged 3–11.
Having been hit by multiple devastating floods in recent years, including the Boxing Day floods of 2015 and again in February 2020, the school suffered considerable disruption, both structurally and emotionally, to pupils, staff, and families.
The Solution
Following the completion of the £41 million Mytholmroyd Flood Alleviation Scheme in 2021 – which better protects 400 homes and businesses, including the school – a further £450,000 was invested in property-level resilience measures to provide additional protection and peace of mind.The project was funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and delivered in collaboration with the Environment Agency, Calderdale Council, and Watertight International.
A suite of flood resilience measures was installed across the school site to help manage residual flood risk and minimise disruption in future flood events. These included:
Puddle and sump pumps to remove water quickly, minimising downtime
Air brick covers, non-return valves, and barriers to reduce water ingress
Flood gates and a specialist flood door for key building access points to help keep classrooms dry
Repointing and rendering of external walls to improve building fabric resilience.
All work was completed with close consultation with the school, with timings scheduled to avoid as much disruption as possible and ensure children’s learning was not affected.
What was the Impact?
Importantly, installation of PFR has not only helped to safeguard the fabric of Burnley Road Academy’s buildings but also the continuity of its teaching and the wellbeing of its school community.
By combining physical resilience with ongoing support and education, the project has strengthened long-term confidence and helped the school focus on what matters most: providing a safe, stable learning environment.
Clare Cope, Headteacher of Burnley Road Academy, commented: “We are delighted that the flood resilience measures have been installed and are very grateful to the DfE, the Environment Agency and Watertight for everything they have done to make this happen.
“The extreme impact of the floods in 2015 and 2020 devastated not only the buildings but the whole school community. We now feel much safer knowing that we are better protected from future flood risk.”
Paul Swales, Senior Flood Risk Advisor at the Environment Agency, added: “We have been working to reduce the risk of flooding in this community since 2016 and to see the completed works at the school is a proud moment for myself and the Environment Agency.
“The brilliant partnership working has been fundamental to the success of the project and to have the school even better protected from future flood risk is fantastic.”
Mark Arrowsmith, Operations Director at Watertight, adds: “This collaborative project between the Department of Education, Environment Agency, and Watertight will help bring peace of mind to the staff, students and parents of Burnley Road Academy.
“Our property flood resilience measures, designed to deal with residual risk from the main Mytholmroyd Flood Alleviation Scheme, not only support the school with flood preparedness, but include innovative resistance and recoverability measures to create an effective flood management strategy.
“The work doesn’t stop here, and we will continue to support the school, not only with maintaining the PFR measures, but in supporting education initiatives to teach the children and the wider community about the climate adaptation works to protect the school both now and in the future.”
Cllr Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Active Travel and Housing, said: “As a Mytholmroyd resident whose children attended Burnley Road Academy, I have seen first-hand how devastating the impact can be.
“The amazing partnership work to boost flood resilience at the school is part of the Council’s priority to tackle the climate emergency, and we continue to do all we can to protect local people, businesses and the environment.”
Flood Gates Installed on site
Ongoing Support
In addition to the core PFR works, Watertight has remained actively engaged with Burnley Road Academy and, more recently, supported the school in developing sustainable drainage (SuDS) features within the grounds. The team has helped create a rain garden – a nature-based SuDS installation designed to slow the flow of surface water, reduce runoff, and provide an educational tool for pupils to learn about climate resilience and biodiversity.
Watertight has also supported the school with onboarding onto Resilico – a digital flood compliance platform - developed in partnership with CIWEM, Flood Re and Defra – that also functions as an integrated risk management and preparedness tool. The platform will help the school to be better prepared for future flood events, by providing an advanced early warning system – which includes river, coastal and surface water floods risks. It also enables users to create and activate a bespoke emergency response plan.
In addition, Resilico assists with the ongoing maintenance of property flood resilience measures by offering clear guidance and timely reminders, including alerts when statutory inspections are due. This helps to keep Burnley Road Academy’s team informed and one step ahead, at all times.
This continued collaboration demonstrates Watertight’s long-term commitment to the communities it supports and its focus on practical, joined-up climate adaptation – going beyond compliance to deliver lasting, local impact.
If you would like more information regarding property flood resilience measures for schools, colleges or university buildings, contact Watertight International to discuss your bespoke needs.
Is your community flood-ready?
Whether you’re a local council, facilities manager, or resident in a flood-prone area, the Glasson Dock experience proves that pragmatic Flood Resilience is achievable and fast.
