Schoolchildren don their hard hats to inspect school following closure due to RAAC

Pupils from a South Tyneside school became health and safety inspectors for a day, when they went to visit their school which was closed in September due to emergency remediation works being required.

St James Catholic Primary School in Hebburn was closed when the government announced schools where RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) was present would need to close for inspections and remediation work.

The trust quickly made provisions for face to face or virtual learning to continue and after the closures. St James was supported by the local parish, who provided the Emmaus centre.

Pupils donned hard hats, ear defenders and high-vis jackets as they went to inspect the work being conducted at their school sites.

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The St James pupils were accompanied by their headteacher Francesca Heslop who said the children were checking in on the progress being made by Terry and the gang of Baines Construction NE Ltd!

She said: “The children were absolutely delighted that school is almost ready for our school community to return and gave Terry and the team a big thumbs up.”

The school is hoping to reopen its doors to pupils properly in June – and the community is very much looking forward to having all the staff and pupils together on site again.

Mrs Heslop added: “St James is looking absolutely fantastic.”

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