Going, going... the St Aloysius’ College building at centre of court bid to halt demolition

Published: 30 July, 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB

THIS is the “vital” classrooms block that teachers are still hoping to save through a High Court injunction, even though demolition has already begun.

Staff and parents at St Aloysius’ College in Archway have criticised a new £17million school building – part of the former Labour government’s Building Schools for the Future programme – and believe the only way the school can manage when pupils return in September is to keep the old Block B.

But, despite a long campaign to save the building, contractors moved in on Monday after striking a deal with the Hornsey Lane boys’ school. St Aloysius is now going to have to pay Balfour Beatty more money to fix some of the design issues surrounding the new building.

The Tribune revealed last week how the school’s headteacher and governors – who originally wanted to keep Block B – were forced to agree to the demolition or pay construction firm Balfour Beatty a crippling £70,000-a-week fine to cover delays.

Unions and staff have been speaking to lawyers in the hope of securing a High Court injunction to put a stop to the demolition. But time is running out, as by midweek a corner of the building had already been knocked down.

If they fail to halt further demolition, September will be blighted by strikes, as the National Union of Teachers has already sanctioned four days of industrial action for the first two weeks of term.

Teacher and governor Paul Macaulay has warned that the school may have to teach pupils in shifts if space for a new sixth-form is not provided by the new term.

He said: “It’s quite possible that kids will have to be kept at home because we haven’t enough room to accommodate them. It depends how quickly other rooms are fixed. 

“It’s a disgrace that a building with nothing structurally wrong with it should be taken away for no good reason, simply because a contract was signed so many years ago.”

Campaigners say it is impossible to teach pupils the full curriculum in the new building.

They say it is unsafe to teach practical work in the L-shaped design and technology rooms, they will not be able to teach science experiments in the new rooms and pupils will be forced to change in the showers as there is not enough space in the changing rooms.

It is understood Balfour Beatty has agreed to adapt at least one L-shaped classroom as part of the demolition deal.

Mr Macaulay said: “We’re looking for a lawyer to deal with this. 

“We’re trying to get an injunction to stop it being knocked down. 

“Just because they strung us out until the summer holidays so they could destroy the building in the interim, they needn’t think we’re giving up. 

“We don’t know how we’re going to provide an education for the kids. We won’t have enough classrooms to timetable everyone in at any one time.”

Labour councillor Richard Watts, executive member for children and young people, said: “I am pleased that an affordable way forward has been agreed.

“The buildings that the young people start back with in September will be impressive and a significant improvement on what there was before in the old buildings. I hope everyone can now concentrate on giving the boys the excellent education they deserve.”