100 school closures sparked by collapse over summer - despite hit five years ago

01 September 2023 , 11:32

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A roof collapse at Singlewell School in Kent back in 2018 (Image: Google)

The wave of school closures from faulty concrete was sparked by the collapse of a beam over the summer despite a similar incident happening five years earlier.

More than 100 ordered by the government to close classrooms and buildings containing outdated RAAC concrete, which safety inspectors say is likely to collapse without warning.

The announcement has forced some headteachers to delay the start of the new year with just a few days warning, while others are having to draw up emergency plans to erect temporary classrooms or send pupils to nearby school.

Schools minister Nick Gibb revealed the closures followed a collapse at a school this summer which had previously not been thought to have been at risk.

The incident five years ago struck over weekend, meaning no one was hurt (ITV)

He told the BBC: "What we discovered over the summer was a number of instances, in schools and in non-schools, in England and outside England, where RAAC that had been considered to be a low risk actually turned out to be unsafe. So over the summer, given this evidence, we had to take a decision.

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"Some of that evidence was as late as last week. We had to then decide what to do given the previous advice. A beam that had no sign... it was a critical risk and was thought to be safe, collapsed."

But a similar incident struck Singlewell Primary School in Kent back in 2018 when a roof made of the material suddenly collapsed - thankfully over a weekend, meaning no one was hurt. It lead some teaching unions to demand action over the "shocking state" of some school buildings, many of which date from the post-war period.

A Department for Education spokesperson said earlier this week: “The safety of pupils and teachers is our utmost priority. We have been engaging with schools and responsible bodies about the potential risks of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete since 2018 and subsequently published guidance on identifying and managing it. As part of this work schools have been asked to inform the Department if they believe RAAC is present on their estate."

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas