Ministers Told To 'Get A Grip' On Unsafe Concrete In Schools As Pupils Start New Term

Government ministers have been told to "get a grip" on their plans to make schools safe - see the full list of schools, including one in Sussex, so far.

More than 100 schools and colleges have been told by the government to fully or partially shut buildings due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

But many more classrooms could be forced to shut as further assessments are made of the risks, the government admitted.

There is also a worsening row over who will pick up the bill for the repairs.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said he would "spend what it takes" to address the problem, but Treasury sources later said money for repairs would come from the Department for Education's (DfE) existing capital budget.

Unions have been angered by uncertainty about which costs will be covered by government, calling for transparency on whether headteachers will be reimbursed for mitigation expenditure.

Ministers have also promised to publish a list of the schools affected "in due course" but Labour has threatened to force a vote to compel its publication next week.

Shadow secretary for education Bridget Phillipson said this morning:

"We can't be confident that we will know the full picture because ministers are refusing to publish the full list of schools affected.

"It's a scandal that parents are being left in the dark just at the point of a new school term starting."

"Ministers need to be upfront, publish that list, and need to get a grip," Ms Phillipson added.

"If they refuse to do so, we will force a vote in the House of Commons this week and make it happen so parents aren't left in the dark.

"I'm really concerned about the disruption that children are facing.

"It's vital that ministers publish the full list of schools so parents can have absolute confidence that their child's school is safe."

Remote learning for children unable to access face-to-face lessons should last "days, not weeks", the government has said, but ministers have not said exactly when the disruption might ease.

Education leaders have been encouraged to use community centres, empty office buildings or other schools while structural supports are installed to mitigate the risk of collapse.

Concerns about RAAC - a lightweight concrete used up until the mid-1990s - in public buildings were raised in 2018, prompting accusations that ministers have failed to act quickly enough.

Experts have warned that the risks may extend beyond schools to hospitals, court buildings and prisons, where the material is present.

Schools in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also being assessed for RAAC.

The Scottish government said it is present in 35 schools, but that none posed an "immediate risk" to pupil safety.

The Welsh government said councils and colleges have not reported any presence of RAAC.

Sky News has compiled a list of schools that have been impacted by the ongoing concrete scandal, as fears over reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) have led to closures:

Aston Manor Academy, Birmingham 

No students are expected to be on the school site until at least 11 September.

Aylesford School, Warwick

A significant area of the school will be closed while work is carried out and only Year 7s will be taught on-site on Monday, with Year 12s returning from Wednesday. The primary school is not affected.

Buckhurst Hill Community Primary School, Essex

The school is closed until 11 September while alternative teaching arrangements are organised.

Buckton Fields Primary School, Northampton, East Midlands

Clacton County High School, Essex 

The school will be closed for all year groups on Monday, 4 September, with different arrangements by year group for the rest of the week.

Claydon High School, Suffolk

The school is considering delaying reopening or a partial closure.

Corpus Christi Catholic School, London

Crossflatts Primary School, Bradford, West Yorkshire 

East Bergholt High School, Colchester, Essex 

The school is considering delaying its opening or only opening some areas and is expected to update parents on Monday.

East Tilbury Primary School, Essex

Some 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.

Eldwick Primary School, Bradford, West Yorkshire

Farlingaye High School, Suffolk

Some classrooms are set to be out of action and the school might need to delay reopening.

Ferryhill School, County Durham 

The start of the new school year has been delayed, the school says. New starters are expected to start a week late, with the rest being taught online.

Hadleigh High School, Hadleigh, Suffolk 

The school is considering delaying its opening or only opening some areas and is expected to update parents on Monday.

Hockley Primary School, Essex 

Honywood School, Colchester, Essex 

Some 22 classrooms are expected to close with immediate effect, with some pupils to do online learning and a rota system for year groups attending school.

Kingsdown School, Southend, Essex 

Mistley Norman Church of England Primary School, Essex 

Our Lady's Catholic High School, Fulwood, Lancashire 

School to be closed Monday, 4 September and Tuesday, 5 September.

Pershore High School, Pershore, Worcestershire

Ravens Academy, Clacton-On-Sea, Essex 

The school will be closed for two days after RAAC was found in a roof.

Scalby School, Scarborough, North Yorkshire 

Springfield Primary School, Chelmsford, Essex 

St Anne's Catholic Primary School, Harlow Green, Tyne and Wear 

St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College, Easington, County Durham 

Opening delayed until 5 September.

St Bernard's School, Bolton, Greater Manchester

St Clere's School, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex 

Parts of the school will be closed, with years 7, 11 and 12 prioritised for face to face learning.

St Francis Catholic Primary School, Ascot, Berkshire 

St James Catholic School, Hebburn, Tyne and Wear 

St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear 

The school will be closed on Tuesday, 5 September, on which date further information is expected to be provided.

St Leonard's School, Durham, County Durham 

The school will not reopen for its first week after RAAC was found in panels used in the construction of the school building.

St Mary Magdalene Academy, London 

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Darlington, County Durham 

The school will not reopen until at least 11 September.

St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive, Eltham, London 

St William of York Catholic Primary School, Bolton, York 

The school is putting up temporary support structures and staff hope to reopen to as many pupils as possible on 11 September.

Thameside Primary school, Essex

Parts of the school have been closed, with a significant number of teaching spaces impacted. Expects its reopening to students to be delayed until 11 September.

The Appleton School, Benfleet, Essex 

Three areas have been closed and three year groups are not expected to be back to school this week.

The Billericay School, Billericay, Essex 

Arrangements have been made for some years to be on site while others learn online.

The Bromfords School, Wickford, Essex 

The Gilberd School, Colchester, Essex 

Years 8-11 will return to school on 11 September, with Year 7 pupils returning a day later.

Thurstable School, Essex 

The school's website has set out a phased reopening, with some years coming in and work also set online.

Waddesdon Church of England School, Buckinghamshire 

Willowbrook Mead Primary Academy, Leicester

The school says it will be closed on Monday, 4 September.

Wood Green Academy, Wednesbury, West Midlands 

The school says disruption to the start of term is possible and is conducting further investigative work.

Woodville Primary School, Chelmsford, Essex 

School closed until 11 September.

Other schools reportedly affected:

Abbey Lane Primary School, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 

Altrincham College, Timperley, Manchester 

Arthur Bugler Primary School, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex

Baynards Primary School, Essex

Canon Slade School, Bolton, Greater Manchester 

Carmel College, Darlington

Carmel College has also 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.

Carnarvon Primary School, Bingham, Nottinghamshire 

Cherry Tree Academy, Colchester, Essex

Cleeve Park School, Sidcup, London

Cockermouth School, Cumbria 

Will open on Tuesday instead of Monday after RAAC concrete was found in four corridors, the library and the sports hall.

Cranbourne, Basingstoke, Hampshire 

Temporary 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 is expected to open as normal at the start of term.

Donnington Wood Infant School and Nursery, Donnington, Shropshire

Telford 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.

Fulwood Academy, Fulwood, Preston

Greenway Junior School, Horsham, West Sussex

Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Newark, Nottinghamshire 

Jerounds Primary School, Harlow, Essex 

Katherines Primary Academy, Harlow, Essex 

Has reportedly closed its main building.

Mayflower Primary School, Leicester

Mayflower 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.

Myton School, Warwick

Northampton International Academy, Northampton, West Midlands

Outwoods Primary School, Atherstone, Warwickshire 

Warwickshire 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.

Parks Primary School, Leicester

Roding Valley High School, Loughton, Essex 

Sale Grammar School, Sale, Manchester 

St Andrews Junior School, Hatfield Peverel, Essex

The school is reportedly closed until at least mid-September.

St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School, Swanley, Kent

St Benet's Catholic Primary School, Ouston, County Durham

St Gregory's Catholic Science College, Harrow, London 

Stanway Fiveways Primary School, Colchester, Essex 

Tendring Technology College, Essex

The Coopers Company and Coborn School, Upminster, London

The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, Acton, London

The Link School, Beddington, London

The Ramsey Academy, Halstead, Essex 

Thomas Lord Audley School, Colchester, Essex

White Hall Academy, Clacton, Essex 

Winter Gardens Academy, Canvey Island, Essex 

Wyburns Primary School, Rayleigh, Essex

(c) Sky News 2023: Ministers told to 'get a grip' on unsafe concrete in schools as pupils start new term