First step in huge plans to build new Ryhope school to replace 130-year-old St Patrick’s in 2027
Sunderland City Council has been asked for a ‘screening opinion’ on plans for a new primary school in the Ryhope area.
Screening opinions are sought from local planning authorities to establish whether an environmental impact assessment is required prior to the submission of a detailed planning application.
The Department for Education (DfE) has applied for a screening opinion for a “new single-storey primary school building, provision of a new sports pitch, outdoor PE court, outdoor informal play space, new vehicular access and parking” for a site in Ryhope.
The proposed site for the new school sits adjacent to Stockton Road, Halifax Place and Smith Street South and is surrounded by houses, as well as sitting adjacent to Beechbrooke Park.
It is understood that the development is part of the Government’s School Rebuilding Programme and will see a new replacement school for St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, which is currently based nearby at Smith Street.
Supporting documents submitted with the screening opinion label the development as “Sunderland St Patricks” and note the new primary school will “provide a capacity for 236 pupils from the ages of 3 to 11”.
It was noted that the “Department for Education and the school seek to develop a facility that is centred on community learning, with a library sufficient to support a full class in reading, and separate practical teaching provision”.
Those behind the scheme said the proposed buildings and their “orientation within the site” aim to “minimise impacts” to neighbouring residents and that the school would “not appear out of context […] within the built-up area of Ryhope”.
The new sports pitch and “hard outdoor PE area” are proposed to the north of the site near Halifax Place, while the main school buildings, main access and parking areas are proposed to the south near Stockton Road, with the site said to be in a “sustainable location”.
Other features proposed at the new school include a “rainwater garden” and new informal outdoor play spaces, including a “dining canopy”.
A supporting document submitted to council officials adds: “The proposals will bring a range of social and environmental benefits to pupils and staff in creating a high-quality place in which to teach and learn.
“Sports provision will include an under 9/10s sports pitch, a hard outdoor PE court, informal social play space and other green spaces around the site.
“The informal outdoor play spaces will be complimented by a hard and soft landscaping scheme around the site, including habitat planting, tree planting and a kitchen garden.
“A new vehicular and pedestrian access is proposed from Stockton Road, with an emergency and maintenance access proposed to the north of the site.”
The supporting letter also said that the “existing school will remain open during construction of the new school, allowing phasing to be amore straightforward process”.
It was noted that “no works are proposed to the existing school site as part of this scheme, with options for its re-use to be discussed and confirmed in the future.”
A decision on the screening opinion application is expected to be made in coming weeks, and a full planning application for the new St Patrick’s school from the Department for Education is expected to follow in future.
The existing Ryhope school is run by the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust and education leaders have welcomed progress on the project, with the replacement school scheduled to open in Spring 2027.
Paul Harrison, head of service at Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, said the trust was “incredibly proud of this project and grateful to all those supporting its delivery”.
“The new school is scheduled to open in Spring 2027, and we can’t wait to see the difference it will make for our pupils and the wider Ryhope community”, he added.
“Highlights include an open-plan library, a dedicated STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) classroom and a modern performance hall to enhance pupils’ talents in the performing arts.
“Outdoor spaces will be transformed too, with a new multi use games area (MUGA) and a sports field providing fantastic opportunities for physical activity and team sports.
“The new building will be carbon neutral, powered by a ground source heat pump and a large rooftop solar array, demonstrating our commitment to sustainability and future generations.”
Jane Ward, executive headteacher of St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, added: “St Patrick’s sits at the very heart of the community and has served its families for over 130 years.
“Our new school build will very much build on that legacy and enable us to provide state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities and cutting-edge technology as well as giving our children the outdoor learning space that they deserve.
“We are absolutely thrilled that our new build will include a new nursery, so that children and families can share that all through primary experience from three to 11 years.
“We have worked closely with our DfE colleagues to ensure that our new school will deliver the very best education for the children and families of Ryhope for generations to come.”
For more information on the St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School site development, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 25/01502/SCR