A Durham school which was one the UK’s worst-hit by the RAAC crisis has defied the odds after a year of disruption with an outstanding Ofsted report.

Chris Hammill, Headteacher of St Leonard’s Catholic School in Durham praised staff and pupils who rose above the challenge and overcoming "one of the toughest experiences they will ever face".

The secondary school and sixth form was was plunged into crisis in September 2023 when buildings were found to be riddled with crumbling reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). It was one of just two secondary schools in England forced to completely close due to the scandal, affecting more than 1,300 11-to-18 year old pupils and families.

Some pupils had to spend months learning in temporary buildings and classes, with limited hot food, desk space, and specialist equipment.

But in an Ofsted report published this week, the school - part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust (BWCET) - was graded ‘outstanding’ in all five areas inspected.

Students were left learning in temporary classrooms.Students were left learning in temporary classrooms. (Image: Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust.) It comes after the school was rated as ‘requires improvement’ in 2022.

Headteacher Chris Hammill said: “The challenge the school community has faced puts this achievement into even greater perspective.

“I'd like to pay tribute to the exceptionally hard work and dedication of all my colleagues who have gone through one of the toughest experiences they will ever face in teaching. The pupils' actions too have been utterly commendable.

“I was delighted that the report identifies that beyond academics, St Leonard’s excels in fostering character and resilience. RAAC really tested that mettle, but these outstanding pupils rose above it showing such dedication.”

The school was judged outstanding in all areas including; quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and sixth-form provision; when it was inspected in October. 

Ofsted no longer gives overall one-word judgements after a policy change in September.

“It is testament to exceptional leadership that educational standards have improved during this time”, the inspection body said.

Work on demolishing the existing buildings and replacing them with a new state-of-the art school is now well underway and is expected to be completed in Easter 2026.

A report previously suggested disruption at St Leonard’s had been so bad to justify a 10 per cent bump to exam marks this summer. But in January the Department for Education said no special dispensation would be given. 

Students exceeded previous years' exam results in the summer despite the disruption with the number of A-Level pupils securing A and A* grades up seven percentage points on the previous year, and record-breaking GCSE results.

Mum Nicola Cook, who campaigned for grade uplifts for her son who was in Year 13 last year, said: "I actually don't even know how they've achieved that because of the mountains those kids had to climb.

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"It just shows what strong leadership they have got and a hard-working group of teachers and staff doing it on one hand tied behind their backs."

Nick Hurn, CEO of BWCET, said: “Leaders, governors, parents, teachers and pupils alike have all demonstrated a commitment to achieving the highest standards, and supporting an environment where teachers succeed and where pupils thrive in an academic and nurturing environment.

"This 'Outstanding' rating is a testament to the whole school community.”