The UK government passed a bold 10-year target to eliminate Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (Raac) from schools. This decision follows advocacy for safety after the tragic incidents from this past summer. At the end of August this year, Raac was discovered in 237 schools throughout England. This revelation, announced on 30 June 2017, compelled 70 schools throughout Essex to immediately close a number of their buildings. In August 2023, an overpass beam collapsed at a school. This recent incident spurred a collective response to act quickly and protect the integrity of our school infrastructure.
Given this massive scale of Raac, 62 schools and colleges have already taken them down. More specifically, 10 separate schools in Essex have managed to get Raac removed altogether with success. The material was commonly used in the construction of new towns, including Harlow in Essex, raising concerns about the long-term safety of educational buildings.
The previous Conservative administration pledged to replace all Raac in every impacted school. Furthermore, they promised to replace more than 100 schools that had it embedded. This previous administration did not commit to a concrete timeline for such efforts.
As Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told the Tory leadership candidates this summer, there’s no time to waste.
“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,” – Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
Phillipson noted that the shift is in line with what parents want when it comes to school safety.
“It’s what parents expect, it’s what children deserve,” – Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
Yet even with the government’s lofty goals, other stakeholders have doubts on whether it’ll be possible to meet that timeline. Mark Francois, a local MP with five affected schools in his constituency, acknowledged the challenges ahead but expressed some optimism.
“But I think they can get the bulk of [the schools] done,” – Mark Francois.
Worries over funding and overall strategy have begun to bubble up. Pepe Di’Iasio, a planner with PennDot, stressed the importance of taking a long-term view toward both maintenance and development.
“There needs to be a long-term strategy, backed by sufficient capital funding, that ensures buildings receive timely maintenance and development and are not simply left to deteriorate,” – Pepe Di’Iasio.
The Association of School and College Leaders praised the government’s announcement, calling it a significant step in redeeming the government’s pledge to provide better school infrastructure. Professor Chris Goodier of Loughborough University further underlined the need for action on Raac to be taken in each and every affected school.
