Prime Minister Opens New Science Block

Tony Blair paid his final school visit as Prime Minister to Carmel RC College in Darlington. The purpose of the visit was to commission the College’s new Science Block which is the first phase of a £10.5 million building programme at the College to create flexible working spaces and state of the art facilities which will promote personalised learning and help celebrate the cultural and social diversity of the College.

The Prime Minister received a warm welcome at the College which he had officially opened as a Technology College ten years earlier, shortly before he became Prime Minister.

Carmel College is not only a Specialist Technology College, but now has a second specialism - Vocational, is a High Performing Specialist School, a Leading Edge School and is currently operating as a mentor school to a number of  North East Schools.

“As a Catholic College..” emphasised Principal James O’Neill “..we actively promote tolerance of all viewpoints – we actively promote community cohesion – this is not an ‘add-on’ – this is what we do anyway. All of our activities are engaged in for the benefit of our pupils” and in quoting Cardinal Hume he added “the cultivation of goodness has to take prominence in the role of the Christian Educator”.

Despite torrential rain, the Prime Minister made a tour of the new site. He visited a lesson in one of the old science classrooms which are due to be demolished over the summer, before visiting sixth form Chemistry students in one of the new science labs. Here Mr Blair chatted freely with the students admitting that Science was his worst subject at school.  

Mr O’ Neill, Principal, praised Mr Blair and his government for their record on school investment commenting that “as part of the redevelopment we have been working in 20 temporary classrooms. In the not too distant past, this wouldn’t have been seen as temporary - it would have been the long-term solution. Thankfully this is now changing, and standards are changing and have changed remarkably”. Mr O’Neill went on to thank Darlington MP Alan Milburn for the political energy and support he has given to the College.

Mr Blair was equally complimentary about the College, describing it as a “wonderful place of learning” having made “the most extraordinary progress” to become “one of our finest schools”.

“I believe in education” he continued, “I believe in it’s power to liberate people, I believe in its power to give people a future and I believe in its power to release the energy and potential that there is in each human being”.

(Picture courtesy of Newsquest NorthEast)

At the close of the speeches Mr Blair was presented with two tennis racquets, one for himself and one for his son Leo. In the past the Prime Minister played tennis on the courts at Carmel and said that the racquets were a “wonderful” present that he would actually be able to use.