Photo: Ryan Stanton @ flickr

An east Croydon school has been forced to temporarily close after a power outage resulted in a heating and electricity breakdown.

Park Hill Junior and Infants school closed after electric heaters were used to replace a faulty boiler, causing a system overload and subsequent power outage.

The school, on Stanhope Road, East Croydon, had children “sitting in cold classrooms in their coats,” according to the mother of one of the children, who asked to remain anonymous.

The school and the council have been struggling to resolve the problem since the closure last Thursday, but parents have been informed that the school is expected to reopen tomorrow.

A spokeswoman for the council said: “We are currently looking into alternative arrangements with a temporary boiler and a generator to supply power and heat to the schools until the issues an be rectified permanently.”

The episode has prompted criticism from working parents who have had to take time off work to care for their children.  One mother said: “I have had to take three days off work so far and my boss keeps on asking when I will be back. What facilities are being made available for working parents?

“This problem started more than a week ago, I don’t understand why it’s taken so long to fix,” she added.