Raac-hit pupils celebrate A-level results

Students at St Leonard's Catholic School had their learning disrupted by Raac

Pupils who had their studies seriously affected by crumbling concrete in their school buildings are celebrating an "outstanding" set of A-level results.

Students at St Leonard's Catholic School in Durham were forced to take lessons remotely and in other venues after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in 2023. The school is currently being rebuilt.

On Thursday, it announced 34% of all grades were A* or A, while 83% of all grades were awarded at A*-C and 99.4% of students passed all subjects.

Meanwhile, more than a quarter of A-level grades at Raac-hit Prudhoe Community High School in Northumberland were A or A*, despite students being taught miles away in a different town.

St Leonard's was forced to close in September 2023 after Raac was found, with students being taught in temporary classrooms.

The unsafe buildings are being demolished with the redevelopment due to be finished by 2027.

But following confirmation of their A-level results, five students will be heading to Oxford or Cambridge and 60% are going to Russell Group universities - including eight to Durham which is on St Leonard's doorstep.

'Immensely proud'

Pupil Ruaridh McEwen got three A* grades and is now heading to study history at Wadham College, Oxford.

He said: "As students we got our heads down and did the best we could.

"After a while a very unusual situation just became the norm and that's thanks to the teachers - they were brilliant in terms of the measures they put in place."

The school's head David Simmons said: "These results are a reflection of the hard work, resilience and excellence we see in our students every day.

"We are immensely proud of what they have achieved and confident they will go on to thrive in whatever path they choose next."

Prudhoe students had also faced "an incredibly challenging year", the school said

Students at Prudhoe Community High School, in Northumberland, have also been praised for their results after facing similar disruption.

They have been taught at Sunderland College's Washington Campus, 16 miles (25.7km) away, in recent months after cracks were discovered in the Prudhoe building.

The school said 26% of all A-level grades were A* or A, with 88% of students having secured their first choice of university.

"After what has been an incredibly challenging year for all of us... we could not be more proud of our Year 13 students today," it said in a statement.

"This amazing year group have been stars throughout their time with us."

Additional reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.