The structure of the school building was deemed unsafe before Christmas
Before Christmas, there were worries at Luton’s Cardinal Newman Catholic School after it was discovered that there were cracks inside the structure.
The 1960s-era structure was constructed using hollow concrete blocks, which are currently exhibiting indications of disintegration.
After visiting the school in December, structural engineers declared the structure to be hazardous.
The school had to immediately change; classes were moved online and the building was temporarily closed.
“I’m very impressed with the speed of work, so much so that we’re looking to have the whole school back before half term,” stated Andrew Bull, the headteacher of the institution.
“All positives at the moment, even though there is disruption to on-site learning, but we’re making great headway and we’re working very well with the constructors and the DfE.”
Through weekly updates and progress meetings, the school has maintained constant communication with the local government and the Department of Education.
Mr. Bull stated: “The Department for Education are very impressed with how speedily the St Thomas Catholic Academies Trust, which we are part of, has dealt with the situation and put plans in action.”
“We prioritised exam year groups to get them into school, so year 11, 12 and 13 before Christmas, and then since Christmas, we’ve had a rolling programme of all the other year groups.”
Throughout this period, the school has received assistance, and both students and instructors have demonstrated understanding of the circumstances.
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