Raac scandal: Library at Blaydon school closed due to potentially dangerous concrete
A school's library is closed due to potentially dangerous concrete.
St Thomas More Catholic High School, in Blaydon, was included on a full list of schools affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) which was released on Wednesday by the Government, after days of pressure over the crisis.
A total of 147 schools across the country are on the list, with more than 100 of those having been ordered to fully or partially shut last week ahead of the new school year, and they have been left scrambling to find alternative classrooms.
St Thomas More is open for face-to-face education for all pupils, but it has been confirmed that its library is currently shut down due to Raac being found.
The Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, which runs the secondary school, told parents in a letter on Wednesday that the library was “fully out of action until further investigation is conducted” but that its closure “is not impacting on the day to day running of the school site”.
Wednesday’s DfE list also included two primary schools, St John Vianney in Newcastle and St Columba’s in Wallsend, which had to close in June due to the discovery of Raac but have since reopened.
Both schools had been deemed safe for children to return to, and will be open as normal while “longer term solutions” are sought.
Some pupils unable to return to classrooms this week will be able to begin doing so from Thursday.
St James Catholic Primary, in Hebburn, has told parents that all children will return to in-person learning on Thursday after alternative premises were found nearby at St James Church, St Joseph’s Academy, and Aloysius Junior School.
St John Bosco Primary, in Sunderland, also announced that its nursery and reception children will be taught face-to-face at English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary from Thursday, with hopes that the remainder of pupils can enter temporary classrooms next Monday at Gabriel House.
St Leonard’s Catholic School in Durham confirmed that contractors from the DfE had been in this week to identify parts of the school which could be safe to use and that leaders were “looking at plans that may enable pupils on site next week”.
Full list of North East schools where Raac has been confirmed
The following list is arranged alphabetically and reads, from left to right: name of school; type of action taken; primary or secondary school; type of school.
Carmel College, Darlington – All pupils in face-to-face education
Ferryhill School, County Durham – Start of Term delayed
St Anne’s Catholic Primary School, Harlow Green – Fully remote learning
St Bede’s Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College, Peterlee – Mix of face-to-face and remote arrangements
St Benet’s Catholic Primary School, Ouston – Fully remote learning;
St Columba’s Catholic Primary School, Wallsend – All pupils in face-to-face education;
St James’ Catholic Primary School, Hebburn – Mix of face-to-face and remote arrangements
St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Town End Farm, Sunderland – Mix of face-to-face and remote arrangements
St John Vianney Catholic Primary School, West Denton – All pupils in face-to-face education
St Leonard’s Catholic School, Durham – Fully remote learning
St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Darlington – Start of Term delayed
St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon – All pupils in face-to-face education
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