Days before the start of term, the Government has told 104 English schools to close buildings known to contain a weak form of ‘concrete’.
Schools, colleges and maintained nurseries should shut all buildings containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) unless safety mitigations are in place, the Department for Education (DfE) announced today.
The DfE has told affected schools to find emergency accommodation for the start of term if necessary, including space in nearby education settings, temporary structures that can quickly be brought onsite, and spaces in community centres or empty office buildings.
Remote education should be considered as a ‘last resort’, according to DfE guidance.
Vulnerable children, children of critical workers and pupils due to take public exams should be prioritised for in-person places if disruption is severe.
RAAC, which was used in building construction from the 1950s until the mid-1990s, is ‘much weaker’ than traditional concrete, according to the Standing Committee on Structural Safety.
According to a National Audit Office (NAO) report published in June, the DfE has identified 572 schools that may contain RAAC.
Senior vice-chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA), Cllr Kevin Bentley, said: ‘Leaving this announcement until near the end of the summer holidays, rather than at the beginning, has left schools and councils with very little time to make urgent rearrangements and minimise disruption to classroom learning.
‘The LGA has been warning of the risk from RAAC in schools since 2018. The Government should urgently establish a taskforce, including with the LGA and councils to ensure the safety of both pupils and staff in the long term.
‘Councils will be supporting schools in their areas who have had to close affected buildings, including by providing alternative spaces. The Government should also provide councils with the necessary funding and technical expertise to repair or replace those buildings with RAAC.
‘Councils will now work fast to ensure children’s education is disrupted as little as possible.’
Education secretary Gillian Keegan said: ‘Nothing is more important than making sure children and staff are safe in schools and colleges, which is why we are acting on new evidence about RAAC now, ahead of the start of term.’
