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<p>Ensuring school buildings are safe is our top priority. Since 2015, we have committed
more than £4bn to maintain and improve the condition of the school estate, including
£1.4bn in 2017-18. Where remedial work is deemed necessary for schools to remain safe
for continued use, we will work with local authorities and other responsible bodies
to ensure that lack of financial resources will not prevent it going ahead.</p><p>The
two academies where ACM cladding has been identified have been alerted to the test
results. As a precautionary step, both schools have already been inspected by the
Fire and Rescue Service who confirmed appropriate measures are in place to mitigate
the risks from potential fire, and the buildings have now been declared safe for continued
use.</p><p>The Department for Education is continuing to work closely with the schools
concerned to support them and ensure all the necessary steps are taken to ensure the
continued safety of the buildings.</p><p>All schools already have to follow a range
of strict fire safety regulations designed to ensure they are as safe as possible
and well prepared in the event of a fire. They must have robust plans to follow in
the event of a fire, conduct regular fire drills, install sprinklers if an assessment
deems them necessary and typically have multiple exit routes.</p>
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