The Department for Education (DfE) announced yesterday (8 February) that it will remove Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) from all affected schools and colleges in England. Alongside this announcement, the DfE published a “final list” of 234 RAAC-affected schools (three more than in late November). Surveys have been undertaken at all schools where RAAC was suspected. The DfE noted that “a small number of schools and colleges are carrying out additional checks for further assurance in some spaces.” Education Secretary Gillian Keegan thanked schools, colleges, and local authorities for their cooperation.
One hundred and nineteen RAAC schools will undergo extensive rebuilding or refurbishment as part of the DFE’s existing School Rebuilding Programme. Meanwhile, 110 schools will receive grant funding for smaller-scale removal works. Five institutions will develop alternative arrangements (such as removing a building from their estate).
The Department’s School Rebuilding Programme aims to transform 500 schools over a decade. This is around 2% of all English schools. So, it is likely that the large majority of RAAC schools would not have been included in the 500. With no new money, much-needed improvements at other schools will be delayed.
As the National Audit Office reported last year:
In its Spending Review 2020 case, DfE recommended capital funding of £5.3 billion a year to maintain schools and mitigate the most serious risks of building failure. It assessed that this would allow for around £2.2 billion of annual maintenance and repair funding and £3.1 billion for the major rebuilding and refurbishment of around 200 schools each year...
In its funding settlement, HM Treasury allocated £1.8 billion for 2021-22 for maintenance and repair and agreed to fund the rebuilding of 500 schools over ten years – an average of 50 schools per year – which equated to an average of £1.3 billion a year.
So, no more RAAC.