| answer text |
<p>Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always
been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate
risk, the Department takes immediate action.</p><p>It is the responsibility of those
who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies
– who work with their schools on a day-to-day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance
of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.</p><p>The
Department has acted decisively and proactively to tackle this issue. This Government
has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. The Department issued
comprehensive guidance in 2018, and subsequent years, to all responsible bodies highlighting
the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within
their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations
to keep buildings safe. The most recent guidance is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance</a>.</p><p>There
are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected.
A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was
used, with around one third of the estate built since 2001, therefore, the Department
has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.</p><p>The Department
issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department
of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted
questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which
there are 14,900. We are pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to
determine which schools require surveys.</p><p>The Department is contacting responsible
bodies to help them respond to this request and to advise on what needs to be done,
so that they can establish whether they believe they have RAAC. This work will continue
until we have a response for all target era schools.</p><p>Schools and colleges where
RAAC is suspected are being fast tracked for surveying, which is used to confirm whether
RAAC is actually present. All schools and colleges that have already told us they
suspect they might have RAAC will be surveyed within a matter of weeks, in many cases
in a matter of days.</p><p>All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a
dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise
the disruption to children’s learning.</p><p>Across Government, Departments have been
asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates
as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are
identified and surveying and remediation are carried out. The Department for Education
published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September,
and committed to providing further updates.</p><p>Schools will contact parents where
RAAC is identified and inform them of any impacts on their child. The vast majority
of schools are unaffected. Any parents that are unsure if their child’s school is
affected should contact their school directly.</p><p>While some short term disruption
is inevitable, all available measures will be taken to minimise disruption to pupil
learning and ensure that pupils continue to receive face-to-face teaching. Where there
is any disturbance to face-to-face education, schools will prioritise attendance for
vulnerable children and young people and children of key workers. The guidance published
by the Department in August also includes guidance on provision for pupils with SEND
and sets out expectations that schools continue to provide free school meals to eligible
pupils.</p><p>The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings
safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools
and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations
or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the department will provide that support
for all reasonable requests. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment
projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue
in the long term.</p><p>All previously confirmed School Rebuilding Programme projects
announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects
can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme</a>.</p><p>Further
information on RAAC in education settings is available on the Education Hub: <a href="https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/"
target="_blank">https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/</a><a
href="https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/04/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/"
target="_blank">.</a></p>
|
|
