Understand
New building at Raac-hit St Leonard's Catholic School in Durham officially opens
Overview
A new building at St Leonard's Catholic School in Durham has been officially opened and blessed, three years after dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) forced the closure of the old facilities. The school, which has approximately 1,400 pupils, had to use temporary buildings and remote learning after buildings were deemed structurally unsafe in September 2023. Pupils have been using the new facility since Easter, bringing the whole school community back together.
Key points
- St Leonard's Catholic School in Durham has officially opened its new building, three years after Raac forced the old one to close.
- The school was forced to close in September 2023 due to unsafe reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, leading to remote learning and off-site lessons at Ushaw College.
- The new facility was officially blessed by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle on Friday.
- Pupils have been using the new building since Easter, reuniting the school community of approximately 1,400 pupils.