The head teacher of a primary school which closed after a partially collapsed chalk mine was discovered underneath says the experience has made pupils “more resilient”.

Pinner Wood School, in Latimer Gardens, Pinner, was shut down on March 23 by Harrow Council after “shocked” staff and children were deemed to be at risk.

Geotechnical surveys undertaken by Peter Brett Associates and partner Clive Edmonds showed the ground beneath the school buildings and playgrounds could become unstable and unsafe, due to the condition of recently discovered chalk mine tunnels below, which have partially collapsed.

Since the summer term began last month, pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are attending classes at a temporary school site at the Civic Centre, in Station Road, Harrow.

Classes for Years 3 to 6 are taking place at Whitefriars School, in Whitefriars Avenue, Harrow.

Deb Spruce, head teacher of Pinner Wood School, has since praised parents and staff for their support over the past couple of months.

She said: “Pinner Wood School is still in business but in three different places.

“The council has been absolutely fantastic, the parents have been supportive and staff at the school were incredible as always.

“The children have learned resilience – particularly the younger pupils who had never been on a coach before and had to learn to adapt.

“If we could have found one place big enough for right now that would have been great but it was not possible.”

A Harrow Council spokesman, who was not named, said a single site will hopefully be found by the end of May.

They said: “We are looking for a temporary place for the school that is in one single site and as close as possible to Pinner Wood.

“There are many other requirements for the temporary site, it must be suitable for educational use; it must be large enough and safe for a school to operate.

“We have now set ourselves a deadline of the end of May to select a site and make the temporary home as high quality as it can be.”