Chelmer Valley High School in Broomfield, Essex, was forced to close after a lightning strike sparked a fire during a thunderstorm on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The incident occurred as temperatures soared, causing power cuts and triggering the school's fire alarms at approximately 8:30 am.
Evacuation and Response
Pupils evacuated the premises and gathered on the school field for two hours before returning to their classrooms. Firefighters assessed the scene and declared the school grounds safe, though certain areas remain unusable until normal operations are restored.
Parents and carers were asked to collect their children or permit them to travel home independently. The school is operating with a partial closure on June 23 and will be completely shut on June 24 to facilitate repairs.
Remote Learning and Safety
Online learning will be provided during the closure. Essex County Council emphasized that pupil welfare is of "paramount" importance. A council spokesperson stated: "We are aware that Chelmer Valley High School has been forced to partially close today due to an outage following last night's thunderstorm. The school has been deemed safe following a visit by the fire service, but some parts of the building cannot be used until normal functions have been restored."
Contractors are working to bring the school's systems back online. The council added: "The difficult decision has been taken to close the school tomorrow to ensure the works can be carried out as efficiently and quickly as possible. Remote learning will be provided during this time, and parents and guardians will be kept updated."
