A PRIMARY school had a special visitor today as the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle officially blessed its new building.

St Joseph’s RC Primary School, in Coundon, was demolished as part of a three-year scheme to replace the crumbling 100-year-old building back in 2013.

And the children, staff and parents were blessed to receive Bishop Seamus Cunningham as he led a special mass along with parish priest Simon Weymes at St Joseph’s Church.

The children then performed special hymns including Jerusalem, which was originally learnt when the pupils were still in the old building last year.

Former staff members also attended along with Durham County Council’s school project manager, Nick Wadley, contractors and a representative from the Education Funding Agency which supplied the £2.1million in funding as part of the Priority School Building Programme.

Speaking at the blessing, Bishop Cunningham, said: “I was very impressed with the children and I thought they read well and the singing was very good and very prayerful,” he said. “They were on their best behaviour and it’s good to see so many parishioners there as well supporting them and the school here because it’s a terrific asset to the community and it’s such a change from the old building.”

Following the blessing, Bishop Cunningham helped the students bury their own time capsule underneath the foundation stone of the original school which dates back to 1905.

Headteacher, Madeleine Brown, who began her role at the beginning of the project said she was really proud of the children, who officially moved into the facility in February.

“Keeping the foundation stone is a little memory from our old school and we hope the next generation will cherish this school as much as the last school,” she said.

“The children were excellent and they have really looked after the new school and us while we were doing all the work and that has not been easy.

“It’s been an adventure and I’m really proud to be the headteacher that’s overseen it I just hope it’s here for another 100 years - it’s a real hub for the community.”