Children whose lessons have been disrupted by a catastrophic fire have all returned to classrooms this week – with some being taught in a village hall.

Rodmersham primary pupils and staff were forced to switch to online learning from home after a devastating blaze ripped through the school during half term on Thursday, October 26.

The extensive damage means the main building cannot be used, so a temporary solution had to be found, which includes using Rodmersham Village Hall.

Rodmersham’s chairman of governors David Roche said: “We’ve managed to get all the children back in front of teachers.

“We have been helped by two schools from the Rural Swale Collaboration Group – Canterbury Road and Bapchild – who had spare classrooms we are using.

“Two of our mobile classrooms outside the main building, on a field next to the school, are available and being used and we are using the village hall.

“Our head teacher and staff have done a brilliant job in getting that done.

“That’s the temporary solution – but we don’t know how long that ‘temporary’ will be.”

More meetings are set to take place to finalise arrangements, with hopes the school can continue to use the village hall and its car park.

An offer to use Sunny Bank Primary School in Murston, where space was available, has not been taken up – although remains an option.

A Kent County Council (KCC) spokesman said today: “The school governors are pursuing an alternative temporary solution, details of which KCC has requested as a matter of urgency.

“In the meantime, KCC has developed its plans for Rodmersham pupils to be accommodated at Sunny Bank, should the alternative temporary solution not materialise.

“These would enable children to return to face-to-face education within the next few days within a safe environment.”

A fundraiser set up after the fire to support the school has raised more than £7,000.

Repairs to the building are the responsibility of KCC. Governors anticipate the work will not start until next year.