Temporary classrooms open at Raac-ravaged school

Pupils at a school ravaged by the Raac crisis have been reunited with their friends after nine temporary classrooms were opened.

About 90 youngsters at Katherines Primary School, in Harlow, Essex, had to be taught at other schools due to safety concerns first raised in August 2023.

Katherines was one of 62 schools in Essex built with collapse-prone Raac, or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Head of school Julien Mealey praised the resilience of teachers after a "challenging" past year.

Pupils and teachers were having to arrive early at school before being taken by bus to other venues in the academy trust.

A building consisting of nine classrooms was rented by the Department for Education (DfE) until funding could be secured to rebuild the school.

They offered air conditioning, larger classrooms and more space for arts, music and practical sessions, Mr Mealey said.

Referencing the children returning to school, he added: "Their faces said it all - mouths dropped open, great big smiley faces.

"They were running through to get in and see what the building was like.

"The school is integral to everything they do. It's their social place where they see all their friends, but it's also the place where they're happiest."

School leaders believed they were still a high priority on the government's rebuilding list despite the high standard of its new classrooms.

Essex found itself at the heart of the Raac crisis just days before the 2023/24 academic year was due to start.

Surveys found 62 schools across Essex were built with the crumbling concrete - more than any other county.

Jo Coton, chief executive of the NET Academies Trust, which runs Katherines, said staff were "thrilled" with the "beautiful" new building.

"We've ended up with a huge school that is wonderful for the children and the community," she added.

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