In October 2024 a group of young people firing fireworks at Oasis Academy Hadley in Ponders End, Enfield caused a fire that damaged the external cladding on the first and second floor of the building. Four fire engines and 25 firefighters attended; no injuries were reported and the school continued operating normally. Eight months later, Timber Cladding Specialists was appointed by Jesmond Building Services to design, manufacture and install the fire-rated cladding replacement — a technically demanding package that required the new cladding to achieve EuroClass B (B-s1-d0) fire performance, match the exact board dimensions of the existing facade, and be installed by crane as pre-manufactured panels on a new steel frame system.
Completed fire-rated cladding installation at Oasis Academy Hadley — Siberian larch factory FR treated to EuroClass B (B-s1-d0), finished in Delta Hydrolasur grey, pre-manufactured panels installed on a new steel top-hat frame system. The new cladding matches the dimensions and visual character of the original facade.
The Incident — Fire Damage to First and Second Floor Cladding
A group of young people firing fireworks at the school caused the external cladding on the first and second floor of the Oasis Academy Hadley building to catch fire at 5.43pm. Four fire engines and approximately 25 firefighters attended. All 26 staff members inside the building evacuated safely — no injuries were reported. The incident was over by 6.59pm. The school confirmed the damage was to the exterior cladding only and normal operations resumed the following day.
The fire caused visible damage to the external cladding panels on the first and second floor elevation — charring, warping, and structural damage to a section of the facade that required full removal and replacement rather than repair. The replacement specification introduced an important upgrade over the original cladding: the new installation was required to achieve EuroClass B fire performance — a significantly higher fire resistance standard that reduces flame spread in the event of any future external fire exposure.
Fire Damage — Before Works Commenced
Fire damage to the first floor external cladding — charring, warping, and structural damage required full panel removal and replacement rather than repair.
Second floor elevation — full extent of fire damage visible before works commenced. The new specification introduced EuroClass B (B-s1-d0) fire performance, a significant upgrade over the original cladding.
The Specification — EuroClass B Fire Rated Siberian Larch
The replacement specification was more demanding than a standard cladding replacement in two specific ways: the fire rating requirement, and the need to match the exact bespoke board dimensions of the original facade so the replacement panels would be visually seamless with the undamaged cladding around them.
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Cladding species | Siberian larch S4S0, Grade AB — naturally Durability Class 3 |
| Batten sizes | 18x38mm and 25x69mm — bespoke to match existing facade dimensions |
| Fire treatment | Factory FR treated — KUPRAFUNG flame retardant to EuroClass B — B-s1-d0 |
| Colour finish | Delta Hydrolasur 5.10 / Grey — factory applied to match existing cladding colour |
| Frame system | New steel frame with top-hat section — powder coated black. Manufactured to drawing. |
| Fixing system | Hidden fix — no visible fixings on panel face |
| Installation method | Pre-manufactured panels, crane-lifted and installed to new steel subframe |
| Survey & drawings | Full measured survey and manufacture drawings produced by TCS prior to fabrication |
The original cladding was replaced on a like-for-like basis visually, but with a significant upgrade in fire performance. EuroClass B (B-s1-d0) means the cladding has limited contribution to fire — it will not actively spread flame across the facade surface in the event of external fire exposure. The "s1" smoke production rating and "d0" no burning droplets rating make this the highest performance category achievable in timber cladding without switching to non-combustible materials. On a school building with over 1,600 students, specifying the highest achievable fire rating for the replacement was the correct decision. See our fire rated timber cladding guide and Euroclass B cladding guide for the full fire performance picture.
Completed Installation
Completed installation — EuroClass B fire-rated Siberian larch panels finished in Delta Hydrolasur grey, matching the board dimensions and colour of the undamaged surrounding cladding.
Hidden fixings on a steel top-hat subframe produce a clean panel face with no visible screw heads. The pre-manufactured panels were crane-lifted and installed over five days with minimal disruption to the live school environment.
How the Package Was Delivered
TCS carried out a full measured survey of the damaged area and produced manufacture drawings to confirm exact board dimensions, panel sizes, and frame geometry before any fabrication commenced. Matching the bespoke dimensions of the original facade required precise survey work — standard profile sizes were not sufficient.
See our fire retardant cladding treatment guide. Siberian larch boards were factory FR treated with KUPRAFUNG flame retardant to achieve EuroClass B (B-s1-d0) certification, then finished with Delta Hydrolasur 5.10 grey stain to match the existing facade colour. Both treatments were applied in factory conditions before panels were assembled — ensuring consistent coverage on all board faces including hidden surfaces inaccessible after installation.
See our cladding fixings guide for hidden fix system detail. A new steel top-hat section subframe was manufactured to drawing and powder coated black. The frame was designed to fix to the existing wall substrate and provide the correct bearing points for the pre-manufactured cladding panels — allowing panel installation and removal without disturbing the surrounding undamaged cladding.
Cladding panels were pre-manufactured off-site to the exact dimensions from the survey drawings over four fabrication days. Pre-manufacturing in workshop conditions produced a more consistent finish and tighter dimensional accuracy than site fabrication would have achieved — and significantly reduced the time the school elevation was open during installation.
Pre-manufactured panels were crane-lifted and installed to the new steel subframe by a two-person team over five days on the live school site. The crane installation method minimised time working at height and allowed the full panel to be positioned and fixed in a single lift — reducing programme time and site disruption compared to board-by-board installation at height. See also our cladding installation cost guide and commercial cladding guide for further context on live environment delivery.
What This Project Demonstrates
The Oasis Academy Hadley project is a different type of case study from Merchant Taylors' — smaller in m² but more technically complex in specification and delivery method. It demonstrates several specific capabilities that are relevant to contractors and insurers managing fire damage remediation or fire-upgrade cladding replacement on education and public sector buildings:
- Fire rated specification capability: We can specify, source, and factory-treat timber cladding to EuroClass B (B-s1-d0) — the highest fire performance achievable in timber cladding. This is not a standard stock product but a bespoke treated specification that requires factory application and certification documentation
- Bespoke manufacture to survey: Where existing cladding uses non-standard board dimensions, we can survey, draw, and fabricate to match — producing replacement panels that are visually seamless with the undamaged surrounding facade
- Pre-manufactured panel systems: Off-site panel fabrication reduces on-site programme time, improves finish quality, and is particularly appropriate for installation at height on occupied buildings
- Steel subframe design and supply: We can design, manufacture, and supply the steel frame system required to support pre-manufactured panels — not just the timber cladding itself
- Insurance and remediation works: We are experienced in the specific requirements of insurance-driven remediation projects — see our fire rated cladding cost guide for budget context — survey documentation, manufacture drawings, fire certification, and programme management on live occupied sites
For fire damage remediation, fire upgrade cladding replacement, or any project requiring EuroClass B timber cladding on an education or public sector building, contact our commercial team directly. See our fire rated cladding guide, fire resistant timber cladding guide, and our Approved Document B timber cladding guide for full technical context.
Fire Rated Cladding Replacement — Commercial & Education Projects
We supply, manufacture, and install fire-rated timber cladding to EuroClass B (B-s1-d0) on commercial, education, and public sector buildings. Full survey, manufacture drawings, factory fire treatment certification, and installation by our own teams. Experienced in insurance remediation and fire upgrade works on live occupied sites. Contact our commercial team for specification advice or project pricing.