A County Durham school forced to close over RAAC-related safety fears may not be able to fully reopen until 2026.

Education Minister Baroness Barran visited St Leonard's Catholic School in Durham, one of the worst affected schools in the country, yesterday (Thursday, October 7) where she apologised to parents for the RAAC-related disruption and outlined plans for students.

The Northern Echo was not invited to speak to Baroness Barran, or attend a closed meeting with parents.

The Northern Echo: Protestors outside of St Leonard's, awaiting the arrival of the Education Minister.

Read more: Parents stage Raac demonstration at St Leonard's school, Durham

Durham City MP Mary Kelly Foy told The Northern Echo that despite the school's rebuild being a "top priority", work is not set to start until next year.

The demolition and rebuilding of the school could take two years, with the school not fully reopening until 2026 at the earliest - though the school is planning for all students to be back in face-to-face education by October half term.

Ms Kelly Foy said: "I think this is the worst-affected school in the country - children are having to learn in the corridors with clipboards.

"We've been told that work will start in early 2024, and continue for two years to 2026. That's why plans announced have to be really good - because they'll be in place for years.

"Education is suffering, parents are struggling - something has to be done about it."

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The Education Secretary met parents during a closed meeting with saw only 50 parents invited who had to apply and secure a "golden ticket". Questions had to be submitted ahead of time and were hand-selected.

For many parents of St Leonard's students frustration is mounting - it has been five weeks since they were told the school would not be reopening as expected after the summer holidays, and they still do not have a roadmap for what their children's education will look like.

Arrangements are now "taking shape" after five weeks, which will see year groups educated in open St Leonard's buildings, Ushaw College, temporary classrooms, and in "specialist spaces" including science labs on the council car park.

Some parents, teachers and students also staged a demonstration to "Save Our School" on Thursday.

Parents at St Leonard's, regularly one of the top-performing state schools for exam results in the North East, have been told that teacher-assessed grades will not be accepted, despite the trust lobbying for special considerations in wake of the RAAC issue.

Earlier this week, PM Rishi Sunak vowed that St Leonards will be taking steps towards a full rebuild "by the end of the year".

In a statement, Nick Hurn OBE, CEO of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, which the school is part of, said: "It is encouraging to hear the Prime Minister focus on the complete rebuild of St Leonard's today as part of the government's school rebuilding programme.

"We met the Minister for the Schools System Baroness Barran yesterday with very productive talks focusing on concluding feasibility work so that procurement, planning and construction can go ahead as quickly as possible at St Leonard's.

"For the Prime Minister to today refer to the procurement, design and planning happening by the end of the year reinforces the government's intentions and commitment.

"We'd like to thank parents for their patience and support. We are doing everything to get our students back to face-to-face learning as quickly as we can."

Concerns about exam grades, university applications, extracurricular exams, and mental health remain. 

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A parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the chaotic school schedule for his children had taken a "financial toll" on him. 

He said: "Having to take the time - I am self-employed, so have more flexibility than other parents. I don't know how parents with nine-to-five jobs are managing." 

Plans have been laid for the next few months of schooling, with a short-, medium- and long-term plan divided into 3 phases:

  • Phase 1 – The aim is to have all students in face-to-face education after the half-term.
  •  Phase 2 – This will be an enhanced version of phase 1 including specialist teaching provisions such as Science Laboratories etc. and the options/timescales are currently being explored.
  • Phase 3 – This will be the continued development of the School Rebuild.