Parents celebrate plans to rebuild Raac-hit school

Parents said disruption at St Leonard's Catholic School had impacted pupils and staff

Parents have been celebrating after plans to rebuild a school suffering from crumbling concrete were approved.

St Leonard's Catholic School in Durham had been forced to teach students in temporary accommodation, such as a PE hall and a hotel, due to the presence of Raac in its building.

Plans to demolish the existing school and develop a new campus were approved by Durham County Council on Friday.

Kathryn Waugh, speaking on behalf of parents and pupils, said she could not "convey strongly enough" how difficult the situation had been for children, staff and parents.

Ms Waugh said the situation had impacted the children's education, well-being and mental health.

"The prolonged disruption they have faced is unacceptable," she said, adding: "We urgently need to progress to restore normality."

The new school will replace the existing buildings which have RAAC

Fellow parent Jane Neasham told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the planning permission had removed one of the final obstacles in allowing the school to resume normal teaching.

"My youngest is in Year Seven this year and the idea that she could go her entire school life without being in a school building is terrifying," she said.

Ms Neasham said she could not imagine the "stress and pressure" staff at St Leonard's had been under.

"They’ve done everything that they could to welcome and support students through this incredibly anxiety-ridden time," she said.

Parents in the community fundraised twice for school staff as a thank-you for their dedication throughout the crisis.

City of Durham MP Mary Kelly Foy said plans to rebuild the school were a "silver lining" around a dark cloud that had hung over St Leonard's since August 2023.

"Staff and pupils thoroughly deserve a top-class environment to teach and learn in," the Labour MP said.

"I will be monitoring progress with the build and ensuring the building contractors are good neighbours to residents in the streets around the school," the MP added.