A PRIMARY school site might not fully reopen for up to five years, according to the latest update from the Department for Education (DfE). 

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School on Lumley Street, Barrow, has already been closed since January 2023 due to a floor condition problem. While surveying the site after, the school identified wider condition needs that may require major government funding. 

The DfE confirmed that the work to return the school to its main site may take between three and five years to fully complete. 

Headteacher Simone Beach has previously said: "We are so proud of the resilience of the children." 

The department said improved temporary facilities will be delivered to ensure children continue to receive a good standard of education as well as reducing costs for the school. The first set of improvements are expected for the first part of the next academic year (2024/25). 

The school has received a national profile after children's author Frank Cottrell-Boyce criticised how the move into temporary classrooms has been handled. 

He claimed that some of the classrooms are in a secondary school, which has created disruption as infants and teenagers cannot share the same set of toilets or the outdoor spaces.

“If a four-year-old wants a wee the entire class has to troop down to the playground and wait around in the wind and rain," he claims.

After praising the children's 'resilience,' Mrs Beach said: "Staff have tried their best to mitigate any issues. We couldn't have managed without the kindness of volunteers from the community, the support from the trust, and other local schools.”

The school recently received a 'Good' Ofsted rating, with the inspectors praising the school's high expectations for pupils and their good behaviour. 

In response to this, Mrs Beach said: "This situation has shown us all that Sacred Heart School is more than just a building. 

“We really miss being together on one site and can't wait to be all back together again.”

In February 2024, Sacred Heart was announced as one of the schools in the latest round of the School Building Programme and was prioritised for an immediate start.