The education secretary has pledged that every child in England will be learning in classrooms free of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) by the end of this parliament. Bridget Phillipson said that she wanted to see the concrete, which has been shown to be susceptible to structural failure, removed from school buildings by the next general election – which must be held by the summer of 2029 at the latest. Where RAAC-affected buildings are being rebuilt instead, these projects should also be underway in the same timeframe, she said.
RAAC first came to prominence in schools in August 2023, when some schools received just a few days notice before start of term of new guidance from the Department for Education (DfE). This resulted in dozens of schools having to temporarily close or partially close buildings, with some having to instigate remote learning for some or all pupils. There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England and 237 have now been confirmed as having RAAC – all of which are now once again providing full time in person education for all pupils. Of these, 123 schools will be rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme, and 108 are getting government grants for RAAC removal, with works delivered through their responsible body – usually the local authority or academy trust. RAAC has already been permanently removed from 62 of the schools and colleges. Six schools and colleges have alternative arrangements, including buildings not being part of their estate in the longer term.
Ms Phillipson said: ‘We inherited a crumbling education estate, but I won’t let that be our legacy. After years of neglect we are giving every child a safe and high-quality classroom where they can focus on learning – by setting clear timelines for the permanent removal of RAAC from schools and colleges. It’s what parents expect, it’s what children deserve and it’s what we are delivering. It’s about more than just buildings – it’s about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life.’
Seperately children’s minister Josh MacAlister told the education select committee that the government would be publishing a ‘long-term estates strategy’ for schools and colleges ‘very soon’, which would set out how the government would ‘get on top of’ maintenance backlog issues. Mr MacAlister added: ‘There are no children in schools at the moment where we’re worried about safety, but it is a risk for the department and our capital projects, which means that we’re putting in the money trying to manage it proactively.’ However Dr Jonathan Dewsbury, the DfE’s director of education estates and net zero, said that research shows that school buildings have deteriorated because of lack of maintenance.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, commented: ‘We welcome the progress made so far in removing RAAC. However, there clearly remains some way to go, and work to remove this material cannot come soon enough at the many affected schools which are still waiting, with at least one having had to delay the start of term. The issues with the school estate are not just about RAAC. We hear of issues with leaking roofs, children learning in draughty portable cabins, and even school dinners being served in corridors. The National Audit Office’s most recent figures showed the cost of restoring crumbling school buildings to at least a satisfactory condition was £13.8bn. This highlights the importance of the Treasury investing more in the school estate so that all pupils can learn in buildings truly fit for the future. The upcoming Budget provides another opportunity to commit to this essential work.’