Demolition of old English Martyrs school in Hartlepool well underway

Demolition is in full swing at English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College after students and staff moved into their brand new building last September.

Parts of the old site are now being reduced to rubble and cleared with the work due for completion in May.

English Martyrs’ newer Sixth Form building is being kept as well as music and arts departments and some mobile classrooms.

New turf will be laid where the old buildings were.

Headteacher Stephen Hammond previously said about the old buildings on the school website: “To say that the [old] school buildings are no longer fit for purpose is an understatement.

“They’re two school buildings which have been combined into one, with neither being designed to cope with the number of students that we teach.

“By the summer of 2020, these old buildings will have been raised (sic) to the ground and then completely re-turfed.”

The demolition work is not impacting on school life after moving into their new home, set further back from Catcote Road, at the start of the current academic year.

English Martyrs were one of only five schools in the North East that were awarded a share of the Government’s £67million Priority Schools Building Programme.

High Tunstall College of Science in Elwick Road was another. Old buildings on that site are also currently being knocked down.

English Martyrs new three-floor building took 14 months to build by BAM Construction and has replaced around 85% of the former school site.

It has larger classrooms, purpose-built science labs, computer suites and a new larger dining hall and separate sports hall.

As well as improved facilities it also means English Martyrs is able to accept an extra 10 new students a year.

Bishop Robert Byrne blessed the new building on a visit.

Mr Hammond added: “It has been a big change for everyone, however, we are the same school, with the same values, just in a nicer environment for our students to learn and thrive in.”