Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the National Audit Office report Condition of school buildings, published on 28 June, HC1516, which schools pose a risk to the safety of pupils and staff because of potential structural failure due to disrepair or unsafe building materials or methods.

Nothing is more important than the safety of pupils and teachers. This is why the Department has been significantly investing in transforming schools across the country. Where there are serious safety issues with a building, the Department takes immediate and swift action to ensure the safety of pupils and school staff. There are no open areas within schools or college buildings where the Department knows of an imminent risk to life.

The Department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping school buildings safe and in good working order, including £1.8 billion committed for 2023/24. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform buildings at 500 schools, prioritising poor condition and potential safety issues.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary aided school bodies – who work with their schools day to day to manage the safety and maintenance of their buildings. The Department provides support on a case by case basis if it is alerted to a serious safety issue which responsible bodies cannot manage independently.

Since March 2022, the Department has been working with responsible bodies, schools, and colleges to identify the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in their buildings. Where RAAC is suspected, the Department’s professional surveyors carry out assessments to verify its presence, and if confirmed, the Department provides rapid support to schools on the advice of structural engineers. This could include funding capital works to remove any immediate risk and, where necessary, the provision of temporary buildings. Longer term remediation of RAAC is supported by capital funding provided to the sector, the Department’s rebuilding programme, and urgent capital support.