More Than 100 Schools, Colleges and Nurseries Told to Shut Buildings Made Using RAAC
More than 100 schools, colleges, and nurseries in England are facing closures or safety measures due to buildings made with a type of concrete that is prone to collapse. The concrete in question is reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). The government has issued an order for these buildings to either implement safety measures to address the issue or shut down until the necessary precautions are in place.
DfE Instructions
This decision has caused significant disruption, as it was made just before the start of the term, affecting thousands of pupils. School leaders are expressing concerns about the lack of investment that has led to this situation and are now facing a rush to take the required actions.
The Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, mentioned that this decision is based on "new evidence" related to the safety of the material. Buildings constructed with RAAC will need to implement new safety measures, which could involve reinforcing ceilings or other structural changes. In the meantime, some schools might have to relocate students to temporary classrooms while the necessary adjustments are being made.
Among the affected schools are Crossflatts Primary School and Eldwick Primary School in Bradford, which have had to close parts of their buildings due to the presence of problematic concrete.
What if a Building is Suspected to Contain RAAC?
As at the time of publication, if RAAC is suspected to be within any building, advice is to immediately instruct a structural engineer to assess the area of concern and inform the DfE if RAAC is identified. Then, ensure the building is only used once the engineer declares it safe, and either gives you remedial actions to deliver before allowing reoccupation or declares it unsafe for use because it needs an intrusive survey to confirm subsequent actions.
Follow the professional advice of your structural engineer at all times.
Political Commentary
Stephen Morgan, a Labour shadow minister, labelled the condition of school buildings as a "national disgrace", attributing it to years of disregard for teachers, parents, and students by the Conservative government.
Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrat education spokesperson, urged the government to invest in clearing the backlog of repairs for schools and colleges.
DfE Response
The Department for Education (DfE) has stated that any area or space containing confirmed RAAC should not be in use without the required safety measures. However, the timeline for replacing the RAAC and the specific locations affected have not been disclosed at this point.
This situation highlights the importance of regular building inspections and maintenance in educational institutions to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff.
The DfE referred to its capital funding streams but also stated that additional support would be provided on a case-by-case basis for significant safety issues that cannot be addressed with local resources.
RAAC's fragility and potential danger became evident in 2018 when a primary school's flat roof collapsed. The Office for Government Property issued a safety briefing in September, warning that RAAC was "life-expired and liable to collapse."
Over 150 schools are suspected to have RAAC-related issues, prompting the government to extend its inquiry into RAAC to encompass all public buildings this week.