A head of a crumbling school has spoken of his delight at learning his it has been earmarked for a vital rebuild after his long-running campaign for action.
Andy Byers, head of Durham’s Framwellgate School, was reacting to news that his was one of 61 schools nationwide, set to be part of the Government’s rebuilding programme.
Mr Byers has repeatedly called for a much-needed rebuild, highlighting problems with flooding, severe overcrowding and health & safety issues.
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Two years ago, The Northern Echo reported how he had written to the then education secretary Gavin Williamson raising the issue.
The school had been earmarked to be rebuilt, but plans were axed in 2010 following the coalition Government cuts to the Building Schools for the Future programme.
Mr Byers said today (July 12): "I’m absolutely delighted that Framwellgate School Durham has been chosen to be part of the School Rebuilding Programme.
"We had been hoping for new build for quite a long time now.
"Our school was designed and built predominantly in the 1960s and is old and tired and very poorly designed.
"With a new building we will be able to give our students facilities and a learning environment which will inspire them, and our staff, in the working environment they deserve."
He added: "We have a lot of separate blocks, all with flat roofs. The site floods and the electrics and heating are in pretty poor repair.
"Although we’ve had some cosmetic work done over the last few years- with the outside of the buildings reclad new windows installed - it doesn’t really change the design of the buildings.
"The corridors are too narrow and we don’t have enough social space outside for the students. I am sure this will rectify all of those problems."
Mr Byers said site visits will be held to determine what will happen next, adding: "Given the state of our buildings I am pretty confident that will be a total rebuild."
The Department of Education said work to deliver the projects will start immediately. It will include updating and modernising buildings, and creating state of the art facilities such as new sports halls, music rooms, science labs and dining areas.
The new school buildings will be net-zero carbon in operation, helping meet the Government’s net-zero target.
The schools in this round include primary, secondary and special schools - ten in the North East and six in Yorkshire and the Humber, Since 2010, around 500 schools have been refurbished or rebuilt under government programmes.
Education Secretary James Cleverly said: "Our School Rebuilding Programme is already making a difference to the lives of pupils and their teachers. It is creating greener school sites that are fit for the future and that local communities can be proud of.
"We know how important it is to have high-quality school facilities. That is why we continue to invest billions in our rebuilding programme.
"The commitment to rebuild and refurbish the schools most in need is part of Government’s wider Schools White Paper commitments, to ensure that by 2030 every child will be taught a broad and ambitious curriculum, with access to high-quality extra-curricular provision, in a school with high expectations and strong standards of behaviour."
Meanwhile, St Leonard's School in Durham has also been included in the programme.
City of Durham PM Mary Kelly Foy who has championed the case for both schools to be rebuilt on numerous occasions, said: “Today’s news is fantastic for the City of Durham. Since being elected I have worked closely with the leadership of both St Leonards and Framwellgate to highlight the serious disruption that their crumbling school buildings have been causing to pupils and staff.
"This is exciting news for students, staff, and parents in Durham and I am incredibly pleased that we have now taken a big step towards rebuilding both schools.
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"I want to pay tribute to both schools for tirelessly fighting for better facilities for their pupils over recent years- knowing their staff and students deserved better.”
Head of St Leonards, Chris Hammill, also said: “We are delighted with today's announcement by the Department for Education that St Leonard's will be part of the next national school rebuilding programme.
"Thanks must go to all the staff across the school and Trust who have worked very hard with the initial bid which has got us to this position.
"Our students and the wider community deserve this tremendous news and all the advantages a state-of-the-art building will bring to the education we seek to provide. We look forward to this next exciting venture in the history of St Leonard's and will share more information when it becomes available.
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