Truro School is continuing its clean-up and recovery work following Storm Goretti, which affected Cornwall and the wider UK last week.
A huge thank you to our Grounds and Estates team, whose tireless efforts enabled Truro School and Truro School Prep to reopen safely to staff and pupils on Monday. Since the storm, the team has been working to assess damage, clear access routes, and ensure both sites are safe.
Head Gardener at Truro School, Tom Lagden, outlined the scale of the impact, particularly at the Prep School. Following inspections, he estimates that there are over 65 trees on the ground, not including the significant amount of large branches and trees that might require removal or support. He added that “some valuable trees had been lost, many of which were planted by the Estate in the late 1800s.”
Mr Lagden highlighted the loss of the Monterey Pine on the Prep field, describing it as particularly sad. However, after inspecting the fallen tree, he explained that another tree had in fact been growing in the hollow at the top of the pine, which is an extremely rare occurrence. The School hopes to recover and replant this tree as part of its regeneration work.
He continued, “Many of the fallen trees in the Truro School Prep ‘side woods’ were Leylandii, a fast-growing non-native species. While these trees provided valuable shelter, their loss presents an opportunity to re-plant with native deciduous species and hedgerows, which are more resilient in storms and provide seeds, berries and shelter for wildlife.
Trees in the field will be processed over the coming weeks, while fallen trees in woodland areas will be left where it is safe to do so. This will help create microclimates for wildlife to flourish, encourage new growth and allow nature to regenerate the area over time. Although the storm has taken its toll, the next couple of years promise to be exciting ones.”
As work continues at both sites, Truro School Prep is working closely with Truro Golf Club to develop a plan to move the site forward and support its long-term future.
Damage was also sustained to a Prep classroom, and scaffolding has been erected this week to allow repair work to begin, with repairs expected to take around one week to complete.
Head of Truro School Prep, Mr Rob Morse, said, “Our immediate priority has been safety and ensuring continuity for pupils and staff, and it has been heartwarming to see the school community come together. We have had offers of help from so many parts of our school family, and we are touched by the support we have received.
Our grounds team have played an instrumental role in making the site safe and allowing us to open, and I would like to thank them for their hard work over recent days.
As the clean-up begins in earnest, careful consideration will be given to the needs of the School, the environment and the creation of a lasting legacy. We look forward to involving the children and the wider community in developing these plans and, whilst much work remains before replanting can begin, it is an exciting opportunity to create a gift for our current pupils to pass on to future generations.”
