More than 100 schools in England have been told to fully or partially close because they are fitted with a concrete that could suddenly collapse.
Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) is a lightweight building material used from the 1950s up to the mid-1990s, but is now assessed to be at risk of collapse.
On Thursday, the Department for Education said it had contacted 104 more schools after 52 of the 156 educational settings containing the concrete took protective steps so far this year.
The Government has not yet published a list of the schools that are affected, although Education Secretary Gillian Keegan told MPs on Monday that it will be released “this week”.
Here, the PA news agency lists some of the schools.
EAST OF ENGLAND
– Honywood School, Colchester, EssexSome 22 classrooms have been closed with immediate effect, with year groups doing a mixture of remote and on-site learning.
– Jerounds Primary School, Harlow, EssexThe school will stay open despite Raac being found in its kitchen as it is being strengthened with a steel structure, BBC News reported.
– Katherines Primary Academy, Harlow, EssexHas reportedly closed its main building.
– Clacton County High School, EssexThe school was closed on Monday for all students. It was only open for Year 7 pupils on Tuesday, with all other children having online lessons. From Wednesday to Friday, the school will be open for Year 7 and Year 11 only, with other cohorts learning online.
– Kingsdown School in Southend, EssexLouise Robinson, headteacher of Kingsdown School, has said the school will be closed next week due to the aerated concrete.
– East Tilbury Primary School, Thurrock, EssexSome parts of the school will be closed, with Year 1 pupils moved to share a block with Reception and Year 2 pupils relocated to the sports hall.
– Thameside Primary School, EssexExpects its reopening to be delayed until September 11. Parts of the school have been closed, with a significant number of teaching spaces impacted.
– East Bergholt High School, Colchester, EssexThe school is deciding whether to delay reopening or partially close.
– Thurstable School and Sixth Form, EssexNo students in school on Wednesday, with online learning from home in place. Year 7 is expected to be in school on Thursday, with Year 7, 11, 12 and 13 on-site on Friday, with remote learning for other years.
– The Billericay School, EssexA number of classrooms will be unavailable while remedial works take place, temporarily reducing the school’s on-site teaching capacity, it has said.
– The Appleton School, EssexBBC News has reported that the school’s Tower, North and South blocks are being vacated, while Years 8, 9 and 10 are set for online learning from home from Wednesday to Friday.
– Woodville Primary School, Chelmsford, EssexThe school is closed until September 11, BBC News reported.
– Arthur Bugler Primary School, Thurrock, EssexBBC News reports that the building for Years 4, 5 and 6 will be shut at the start and the new school term could be delayed for these year groups.
– Buckhurst Hill Community Primary School, EssexThe start of term has been delayed until September 11 for all pupils so alternative teaching arrangements can be organised.
– The Coopers’ Company and Coborn School, EssexNo students were on site on Monday or Tuesday, BBC News reported.
– The Gilberd School, Colchester, EssexPlans to reopen on September 11 for Years 8–11 and on Tuesday September 12 for Year 7. The school hopes temporary classrooms will be added while work is carried out on its roof.
– St Andrew’s Junior School, Hatfield Peverel, EssexWill be closed until mid-September at the earliest and temporary classrooms are needed, BBC News reported.
– Hockley Primary School, EssexHas been closed since June 11 and some year groups are being sent to other schools.
– Ramsey Academy, Halstead, EssexBBC News has reported that four classrooms are not being used until safety measures are in place.
– Ravens Academy, Clacton-on-Sea, EssexExpected to be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
– Roding Valley High School, Loughton, EssexCanteen staff are only able to cater to pupils receiving free school meals, with other students urged to bring a packed lunch, BBC News has reported. Some year groups are set to learn from home on Thursday and Friday, it added.
– Tendring Technology College, Frinton Campus, EssexStudents in Years 10, 11 and the Sixth Form will now start later, on September 11.
– Stanway Fiveways Primary School, Colchester, EssexEssex County Council has confirmed the school will remain open.
– Baynards Primary School, Tiptree, EssexEssex County Council has confirmed the school will remain open.
– Great Leighs Primary School, Great Leighs, EssexThe school is currently open, Essex County Council said.
– Henham and Ugley Primary and Nursery School, Bishop’s Stortford, HertfordshireThe school told parents on its website “we have appropriate structural support in place for the Raac that is present in parts of our buildings” and children can attend school as normal.
– Mersea Island School, West Mersea, EssexEssex County Council said the school remains open.
– Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham, Colchester, EssexThe school is affected but will remain open, Essex County Council confirmed.
– Beehive Lane Community Primary School, Chelmsford, EssexEssex County Council announced the school has Raac but it remains open.
– Bentfield Primary School and Nursery, Stansted Mountfitchet, EssexThe school is impacted but it remains open, Essex County Council has confirmed.
– White Court School, Great Notley, EssexEssex County Council confirmed the school will remain open.
– Eversley Primary School, Pitsea, EssexThe school remains open, Essex County Council has said.
– Springfield Primary School, Chelmsford, EssexEssex County Council has announced the school will remain open.
– St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge, Colchester, EssexThe school is currently open, Essex County Council said.
– Great Tey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester, EssexThe school is able to open due to mitigation measures having been put in place, Essex County Council said.
– Hatfield Peverel St Andrew’s Junior School, Hatfield Peverel, EssexThe school has closed and a temporary solution is being finalised, Essex County Council confirmed.
– Broomfield Primary School, Chelmsford, EssexTemporary buildings are being installed at the school, Essex County Council has said.
– Hadleigh High School, SuffolkOn Friday, the Ipswich school told parents it was affected and “will need to consider delaying reopening or partial closure until the issue has been resolved”.
– Farlingaye High School, Woodbridge, SuffolkSome classrooms are out of use and it might need to delay reopening.
– Claydon High School, SuffolkThe school in Ipswich is considering delaying reopening or partial closure until the on-site Raac issue has been resolved.
– Thomas Lord Audley School, Colchester, EssexAreas within the science and maths departments have been deemed unsafe and 10 of 47 classrooms are not in use. Years 8, 9 and 10 will be rotated, with some remote learning for Year 8.
– The Bromfords School, Wickford, EssexSome 15 classrooms – just over 20% of the school’s total teaching rooms – are now inaccessible to staff and students, as well as a set of student toilets and PE changing rooms, the school said. Year 7 students will still be welcomed on Friday, while new Year 12 students will enrol as normal on Wednesday.
The school said it was confident it could welcome other year groups back from September 11 but this is likely to be on a rotation basis, with remote learning taking place for some students.
– Wyburns Primary School, Rayleigh, EssexA letter to parents said the school will be closed while a further intrusive survey is carried out and remote learning will take place.
– The Cherry Tree Academy, Colchester, EssexA structural engineer is due to inspect the building, with the school closed until September 11, BBC News reported.
– White Hall Academy primary, Clacton, EssexThe school is carrying out surveys and parents were told on September 1 there will be three non-teaching days, BBC News reported.
– Winter Gardens Academy, Canvey Island, EssexParts of the school are to be vacated with immediate effect, BBC News reported.
EAST MIDLANDS
– Mayflower Primary School, LeicesterMayflower Primary School is one of three schools in Leicester that have been told they have buildings affected by Raac that need to be taken out of use, Leicester City Council has said.
The school found out it was impacted before the summer holidays, the council said.
– Parks Primary School, LeicesterA “large proportion” of Parks Primary School in Leicester was forced to close in June after a survey revealed Raac was used in its construction.
Headteacher Caroline Evans told Channel 4 News: “In June, we were told we had Raac across the whole of our school and it was in a critical condition, which meant that we had to close a large proportion of our school, leaving only open the reception class and two Year 1 classes and two Year 2 classes.”
Ms Evans was photographed with other staff members in a temporary staff room erected in a school corridor on Friday.
– Willowbrook Mead Primary Academy, LeicesterAnother affected school, the Willowbrook Mead Primary Academy on the outskirts of Leicester, was closed on Monday.
– Northampton International Academy, NorthamptonAccording to BBC News, the use of the top floor, including 18 classrooms, has been restricted, while the sixth-form area and a staff room are closed while survey work is done.
– Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Newark-on-TrentIssues have been identified on site, but arrangements are being put in place to ensure the school opens as planned next week.
– St Edward’s Catholic Voluntary Primary, Swadlincote, DerbyshireThe school’s reopening has been delayed by a week, BBC News reported.
WEST MIDLANDS
– Aston Manor Academy, BirminghamThe academy has announced a delayed start to the academic year, with students now not expected on the school site until at least September 11.
– Aylesford School, WarwickThe primary school is not impacted but a significant area of the rest of the school will be closed while works continue. Only Year 7s were taught onsite on Monday, with Year 12s returning from Wednesday.
– Wood Green Academy, WednesburySome classrooms will be closed until October.
– Donnington Wood Infant School, Telford, ShropshireTelford and Wrekin Council has said additional safety measures, including extra temporary ceilings, have been installed at the school after Raac was found. It is set to remain open.
– Myton School, Warwick, WarwickshireHas delayed the start of term after telling parents that many students cannot return until September 11, BBC News reported.
– Outwoods Primary School, Atherstone, North WarwickshireWarwickshire County Council has said it is the only school on its patch affected by Raac but it will remain open after precautionary measures were already introduced.
– Pershore High School, WorcestershireA temporary building housing a drama teaching space and costume store may be of Raac construction and has been taken out of use before a specialist survey takes place.
– Marling School, StroudThe headteacher of Marling School said in a statement on Tuesday that two design technology classrooms had used Raac in their construction and would be closed, but the rest of the school would open as normal on Wednesday.
NORTH EAST
– St Bede’s Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College, Peterlee, County DurhamOn Friday, the school’s headteacher Frances Cessford said that part of the building is out of use while safety measures are put in place.
– St Anne’s Catholic Primary School, Harlow Green, GatesheadAnnounced that the school would be temporarily closed on September 2.
– St Benet’s Catholic Primary School, Ouston, County DurhamAnnounced that the school would be temporarily closed on September 2.
– St Leonard’s Catholic School, DurhamThe school announced it would be temporarily closed on September 2.
It said it is planning to use the Radisson hotel for two days this week for sessions for sixth formers.
In a email sent to parents on Monday, which has been seen by the PA news agency, the school said staff had now also toured potential teaching space at the University of Durham.
– Ferryhill School, County DurhamThe secondary school has written to parents to tell them the start of the school year will be delayed, with most pupils to be educated remotely from September 11, ITV News has reported.
The start of the new school year will be delayed. New starters would start a week late with the rest being taught online, it said.
– St James Catholic Primary School, Hebburn, South TynesideOn Saturday, headteacher Francesca Heslop told parents “the school building is out of use while we put safety measures in place” and that it would “unfortunately” also need to be closed on Tuesday.
The school on Monday announced it is also closed on Wednesday “while we finalise arrangements and seek alternative premises”.
– St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, DarlingtonDarlington Borough Council said St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School will not open until September 11 amid safety fears.
– Carmel College, DarlingtonCarmel College has told parents that the kitchen and library at the college will be temporarily vacated until further investigations have taken place, Darlington Borough Council has said.
It said the college will remain open but there will be some disruption to classrooms and only a limited break and lunch menu, with pupils from Years 7-11 asked to take a packed lunch for the first week.
– St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, SunderlandIn a letter to parents, the headteacher said the building will need to be closed on Wednesday while alternate arrangements are finalised.
YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER
– Abbey Lane Primary School, SheffieldWork started in July to replace a roof over the school kitchen after it was identified as containing Raac, Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley Louise Haigh said.
The school was due to reopen on Tuesday and a temporary kitchen has been installed.
– Eldwick Primary School, Bingley, West YorkshireBradford Council has said that access to areas of the school where Raac is present is prohibited.
– Crossflatts Primary School in Bingley, near BradfordParts of the school where Raac was found are closed and the plan is to provide temporary classrooms on-site, Bradford Council has said.
– Scalby School, ScarboroughIs not reopening until September 11 and there is expected to be a mix of face-to-face and online home learning. Significant parts of the school are affected and have been taken out of use.
– Holy Family Catholic Secondary School, Keighley, West YorkshireP Block and the kitchen have been taken out of use and pupils are set to return to school in phased stages by September 11, BBC News reported.
LONDON
– Cleeve Park School, SidcupBBC News has reported that four classrooms, some admin offices and the gym will be closed.
– St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive, ElthamSet to open as planned from Tuesday but the hall, gym, canteen, drama studio and boys’ and girls’ toilets are affected by Raac.
The school plans to open mobile toilet blocks and is hiring a marquee as a space for the students to eat and prepare food.
– Corpus Christi Catholic School in BrixtonJunior school pupils are being relocated to a temporary location after Raac was found in a roof, a statement from August 18 said.
– The Ellen Wilkinson School, EalingThe science block, old gym, the hall and canteen are being vacated and students may need to bring packed lunches for a short period, according to the i newspaper and BBC News.
Students relying on free school meals will be given vouchers. The school remains open.
– The Link School, Beddington, south LondonThe secondary site is temporarily closed as Raac has been identified in the school hall. The school hopes to reopen to pupils on Monday September 11.
– St Mary Magdalene and St Stephen’s CE Primary School, WestminsterThe school has two classrooms impacted and Year 5 and Year 6 will be moved while the issue is resolved.
– Hornsey School for Girls, north LondonWork is taking place on the roof areas of two buildings, BBC News reported.
– London Oratory School, Fulham, LondonRaac has been removed during work in the DT Block and the Sixth Form Common Room but is still present in roofing panels elsewhere on the school site. Potential options are being evaluated, BBC News reported.
– St Gregory’s Catholic Science College, Harrow, LondonWork is being carried out to prop up the concrete and was expected to be resolved by Tuesday, BBC News reported.
NORTH WEST
– Cockermouth School, CumbriaOpened on Tuesday instead of Monday after Raac concrete was found in four corridors, the library and the sports hall.
– St Bernard’s School, Bolton, Greater ManchesterScaffolding will be put in place to support several areas of the school with Raac, causing “disruption” until the work is completed. The school will open on September 7, but only if safety work is completed in time – otherwise it could reopen on September 11.
– Our Lady’s Catholic High School, Preston, LancashireIs reportedly closed on Monday and Tuesday, according to local media and BBC News.
– The Fulwood Academy, Preston, LancashireHas been closed for two days to allow it to undertake a new survey of the building, Lancashire County Council has confirmed.
The council said no Raac has been identified and the school is closed as a precaution.
– Canon Slade School, Bolton, Greater ManchesterSmall areas identified in the school containing Raac are no longer accessible for students or staff.
The school has opened as planned for all students.
– Bispham Endowed Church of England Primary School, Blackpool, LancashireThe school has closed its hall as a result of the Raac survey, but opened as normal on Monday, Blackpool Council said.
– St William of York Catholic Primary School, Bolton, Greater ManchesterSome classes will have to temporarily relocate to other parts of the school “for a short amount of time”.
Temporary support structures have been put in place and a number of Portakabins have been ordered.
The school hopes to open to as many pupils as possible on September 11, with an update expected on Wednesday.
SOUTH EAST
– Cranbourne College, Basingstoke, HampshireTemporary works have already been undertaken to one section of the building to make sure it is safe and another area has been out of use since the beginning of the year, Hampshire County Council said.
The school was expected to open as normal at the start of term.
– St Francis Catholic Primary School in Ascot, BerkshireKey stage two pupils will be starting the new term being taught in marquees after unsafe concrete was found in its school hall and kitchen, ITV reported.
– St Clere’s School, Stanford-le-Hope, EssexThe high school announced it would be closing most of the main building, affecting a “significant number” of classrooms, according to an update on its website.
The closures will remain in place until “appropriate mitigation measures are established and approved by independent surveyors”, the school said.
– Greenway Junior School, Horsham, West SussexThe school was reportedly closed for all pupils on Tuesday.
– Waddesdon School, BuckinghamshireThe restaurant and possibly areas of the Central Block, including the English, history, religious studies, geography, technology, music and drama departments, have been found to have sections of Raac.
Years 9, 10, 11 and 13 will be taught from home, while Years 7, 8 and 12 can attend as planned.
– Thomas Bullock academy school, Shipdham, NorfolkNorfolk County Council said Raac was found in the school hall. The start of term was delayed by a day to enable checks to take place.
– St Bartholomew’s Catholic Primary School, KentIn a letter to parents the headteacher said Raac is present in the school hall, which is closed, and hot lunches will be served in classrooms.
– King Ethelbert School, Birchington, KentParts of the building have been closed but lessons will continue on site, BBC News reported.
– St James Church of England Primary School, Tunbridge Wells, KentThe school was partially closed on Tuesday with no update yet released for later in the week, according to local media.
WALES
– Ysgol David Hughes, Holyhead, Anglesey– Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi, Menai Bridge, AngleseyThe Welsh Government said on Monday both schools would be temporarily closed for learners so that further safety inspections can be carried out.
SOUTH WEST
– Selworthy Special School, Taunton, SomersetSomerset Council said the school would stay closed on Wednesday before reopening to all pupils, apart from one class, on Thursday, after Raac was found in one of its classrooms, BBC News reported.
SCOTLAND
The Scottish Government has revealed Raac is present in 35 schools but First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Mitigations have been put in place to ensure that there is no immediate safety concerns for either the pupils or the staff that work there.”
