'Weak concrete' causing school closures

North Tyneside Council staff carry out checks at Churchill Community College

Structural checks at schools in North Tyneside have found that "weak concrete" is to blame for the partial collapse of a ceiling at a primary school.

The partial collapse of a classroom ceiling at Fordley Primary School, in Annitsford, sparked disruption at four further schools in the borough.

Hundreds of pupils have been affected by either full or partial school closures while "urgent structural checks" were carried out across North Tyneside.

North Tyneside Council said the checks showed that, in concrete that has been tested, the problem was "weak concrete" and a type of construction method from the 1960s.

'Not related to Raac'

All pupils at each of the four schools affected are now back to face-to-face learning but many are being taught at other school sites.

Some students from two of the four affected schools - Fordley Primary School and Churchill Community College - are being taken by bus to nearby schools where they are being taught in their usual classes in space available.

Children at Grasmere Academy and Hazelwood Community Primary are in school in safe parts of the buildings.

North Tyneside Council said the issue was not related to problems with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) which have affected buildings nationwide.

Engineers have taken samples from ceilings at Churchill Community College

Structural engineers have carried out tests including drilling into the floor to take core samples and removing and testing blocks.

The council said the concrete mix used was "weak and brittle" and therefore susceptible to cracking.

This mix was formed into hollow blocks – a common building method in the 1960s when the school was built – and then used as part of a technique which is sometimes referred to as "hollow concrete block and plank", they said.

The method is no longer used for construction in the UK and there is currently no evidence from industry bodies of failure of this type of construction.

The council is awaiting further tests from Churchill, Hazlewood and Grasmere before their reports are finalised.

Investigations have identified similar types of first floor construction with visual signs of weakness in the hollow concrete blocks that are being investigating further.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “All pupils affected remain in face to face education and we are working closely with North Tyneside council to support them.

“Investigations to date have shown this is a historic and isolated issue due to the construction in the 1960s.”

Modular classrooms have been ordered for Fordley and the first ones will arrive after Easter.

The council said it was continuing to explore solutions for Churchill and Hazlewood and that it was supporting Grasmere Academy, a school not currently maintained by the council.

The cost to the council, so far, has exceeded £1m with that figure expected to rise.