Infant school gets top grades despite Raac closure

Pewley Down Infant School has received an Ofsted outstanding award despite closing temporarily due to RAAC

A Guildford infant school which was forced to relocate when dangerous concrete was found on-site has been praised by inspectors.

Pewley Down Infant School has been given an "outstanding" Ofsted rating despite closing when Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (Raac) was found last November.

After the discovery, the two-storey building temporarily closed until September, moving classrooms to its partner, Holy Trinity Junior School.

The school received the highest grades in all categories after its inspection in July.

Inspectors wrote: "Leaders and governors have achieved this despite having to relocate the entire school mid-way through the academic year due to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

"Throughout this, leaders have ensured that they continue to focus on delivering the best possible education for pupils."

The school had remedial works done over the summer holidays as part of the Department for Education's School Rebuilding Programme.

Co-chairs of the infants school's governors, Deborah Pepper and Helen Murray, said: "The report is a real tribute to everyone at our school - our senior leaders, staff, children and families - who work together tirelessly to deliver the best possible education for pupils."

In November, headteacher Clare Brunet wrote to parents after the dangerous building material was found holding up the hall and in the year two classrooms.

She wrote: “Despite the frustration of having to close Pewley Down, we would rather be cautious.”

The school is one of six in Surrey which required removal of Raac, according to the Department for Education's February 2024 list.