Haringey Council has approved the commencement of a tendering process for roof repairs at Coleridge Primary School's west site, following a report citing a historical shortfall of investment at the school. The estimated total costs for the project are detailed in Appendix 1 - Part B Exempt Information of the Cabinet Report.

Councillor Zena Brabazon, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools & Families, approved the measure at a Cabinet Member Signing meeting on Thursday, 18 December 2025. The approved tendering process will seek a construction works contractor to address issues stemming from a deteriorating roof constructed with wood wool.

According to the Cabinet Report, wood wool is a deleterious material, which can lose its structural integrity if it becomes wet. The council has not reported any other schools in Haringey facing similar issues with deteriorating roofs due to the use of wood wool or other 'deleterious materials'.

The west site of Coleridge Primary School, located on Crouch End Hill is bisected by the A103 and includes its own kitchen, dining hall, and assembly hall. The council deemed it essential to engage a contractor to replace the leaking roof to ensure the safety and well-being of students, staff and visitors.

Several alternative options were considered, including continuing to repair the roof. However, the council concluded that the ongoing repairs are unlikely to fully resolve the underlying issues, especially given the roof's construction with wood wool, which is prone to deterioration when exposed to moisture. This approach risks recurring leaks and further damage, leading to escalating repair costs over time.

Delivering the service in-house was also considered, but the council stated that there was currently no resource within the Council that had the capacity, specialist expertise or qualifications to deliver this service. Inviting open tenders via Contracts Finder and using an alternative public sector DPS were also considered, but deemed unsuitable.

The council plans to procure a contractor using the London Construction Programme Education Framework or DPS. Soft market engagement has indicated positive feedback on this approach.

The project aims to support Haringey's carbon reduction and climate change ambitions by delivering approximately 20.99 tCO2pa carbon reduction through the installation of energy-efficient measures such as roof insulation. While the project will contribute to the borough's carbon reduction goals, the Public Reports Pack does not provide a comparison of this figure to Haringey's overall carbon reduction targets. The Public Reports Pack provides further details on the project's background and rationale. The Agenda Frontsheet outlines the meeting's agenda.