The Headteachers’ Union is appealing to the Government to provide financial protection for schools at risk of collapse, according to The Guardian.
In 2023, schools in England faced the issue of closing educational buildings due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which also lacks safety measures. As a result, affected schools may encounter a decrease in student numbers and further disruptions to the educational process, according to the General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Pepe Di’Iasio.
“Even small changes in pupil numbers can have significant implications for school budgets. This is a problem decades in the making and something that will be to the financial detriment of the schools affected for years to come,” he said.
In February, 234 schools in England were found to have Raac in some areas of their buildings. Of these schools, 119 will have one or more buildings restored or repaired as part of the government’s school rebuilding programme, according to the Department for Education. The remaining schools and colleges will receive a grant to help them remove RAAC from their buildings.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats have called for the creation of national building registers related to RAAC, urging the Scottish Government to provide updated information on the number of affected council houses. Indeed, the decision came after 500 homes in Aberdeen were affected by a concrete collapse went up for demolition, despite the RAAC demolition work being extensive and complex.
