A plane that was used as a classroom at a Colwick school is being refurbished after a gale damaged the propellers and roof.
St John the Bapist Primary School on Vale Road, Colwick, bought the plane in 2010 to turn into an interactive learning room for their pupils.
It was then used as a storage space while playgrounds underwent a major refurbishment and a wooden play structure was added.
But gale force winds caused both propellers to break off and the roof to become damaged.
Work has started on the refurbishment of the Short 360 aircraft to turn it back into a classroom for its pupils.
Headteacher Chris Belton said: “Unfortunately damage happens if you’re not constantly on top of things and we had to prioritise.
“We had a small window to optimise the grants for our playgrounds and wooden building but we now know how to maintain it and use it in the long term.”
The plane was originally bought from an Air Museum in Barrow in Furness which was closing down and the headteacher cycled from London to Paris to raise £6,000 for its purchase.
It includes a working toilet and kitchenette, though for the last year it has been filled with staff room furniture and building supplies.
Chris added that they’ll work for as long as it takes to get the plane back to a working classroom again.
“It puts us on the map, and I’m even thinking about changing our badge to add a plane flying above the church and tree,” he said.
“We have a four year old boy who asks the secretary every day when the plane will be back.”
It can take 30 pupils for a story, and around five to ten if they need to move around.
It’s interactive, not a museum piece
It’s also going to be used as a place to store PE equipment, so that teachers don’t have to make a trip across the school for supplies.
“We want it to be a quiet and innovative place for teachers to take our pupils,” said Chris.
Not only will the plane be used for learning, but it will have fold down chairs and desks so it can be an interactive play space for children.
Chris added: “The cockpit is open so children can play in it and pretend they’re flying the plane
“We want the children to be leaning and playing against it- it’s interactive, not a museum piece, so we want the doors to be open at play time.
