Call for urgent review of school buildings at risk from unsafe RAAC concrete

The Welsh Conservatives have urgently called for a review of at-risk schools in Wales following the closure of more than 100 school buildings in England due to the instability of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Laura Anne Jones MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Education Minister, said that the safety concern surrounding RAAC is serious and any risk of injury to children in Wales is completely unacceptable. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Jones urged the Wales’ Education Minister, Jeremy Miles to urgently review the situation, following the move by the UK Government to identify at-risk school buildings. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The UK government has published new measures to minimise the impact of RAAC in educational settings. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

While building maintenance is the duty of councils and academy trusts, new RAAC cases have reduced the Department for Education’s confidence that school and college buildings with confirmed RAAC should remain open without mitigations in place. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

This week, the department contacted 104 settings in England where RAAC is confirmed to be present without mitigations in place, asking them to vacate spaces or buildings containing RAAC. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Most of these settings will remain open for face-to-face learning on their existing site, while a minority will need to relocate fully or partially to alternative accommodation while mitigations are put in place. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The government has been aware of RAAC in public sector buildings since 1994. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In 2018, the Department for Education published guidance for schools about the need for adequate contingencies for RAAC-affected buildings needing short-notice evacuation. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Department for Education is providing further support, including funding for essential immediate works, assigning dedicated caseworkers to affected schools/colleges, and issuing further guidance on identifying and managing RAAC. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Keegan added, “We must take a cautious approach because that is the right thing to do for both pupils and staff. The plan we have set out will minimise the impact on pupil learning and provide schools with the right funding and support they need to deal with RAAC.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

While some short-term disruption is inevitable, all available measures are being taken to minimise disruption to learning. The UK Government has said. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Labour’s shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson the move by the UK Government is an absolutely staggering display of Tory incompetence as they start a fresh term by failing our children again.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Dozens of England’s schools are at risk of collapse with just days before children crowd their corridors. Ministers have been content to let this chaos continue for far too long.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It’s long past time the secretary of state got a grip on her department.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Welsh Government is yet to comment on RAAC in Welsh schools. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​