South-east England experiences school disruption over unsafe concrete

Schools have been affected after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found

Schools across south-east England are being disrupted amid concerns about unstable concrete used in buildings.

One school in Kent and another in Sussex closed, while other schools across the region were partially shut.

St James' Primary in Tunbridge Wells partially closed after the government ordered schools to shut buildings made with a certain type of concrete.

But it said safety work carried out over the summer had now been confirmed as sufficient for the school to reopen.

Palmarsh Primary in Hythe, Kent, was closed on Tuesday, along with Greenway Junior School in Horsham, West Sussex.

In a statement, Kent County Council (KCC) confirmed both Palmarsh Primary and St James' Primary would reopen as normal on Wednesday.

A spokesperson said the authority "recognised it had been an anxious and disruptive time for parents and children".

It added: "We do not and did not believe that any areas of these schools were in imminent danger, but the DfE letter prompted a safety-first approach, and we advised those schools to take RAAC-affected areas out of use immediately as a precautionary measure whilst the clarification was received.

"We are pleased to confirm that our original assessment of the situation was accurate and that all pupils at both schools can resume their face-to-face education tomorrow."

Schools found with buildings containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) have been told by the government they must introduce safety measures, which could include propping up ceilings.

A "minority" will need to "either fully or partially relocate" to alternative accommodation while those measures are installed, the Department for Education (DfE) has said.

Other public buildings are also being investigated for risks involving RAAC, including the Orchard Theatre in Dartford, Kent, which suspended all shows with immediate effect on Tuesday.

Schools closed in the South East

So far, BBC News has learned the following schools are affected in Kent, Sussex and Surrey:

• Palmarsh Primary in Hythe, Kent, is closed but KCC confirmed it will reopen on Wednesday.

• Greenway Junior School, Horsham, West Sussex, is closed for all pupils on Tuesday. Plans for beyond this date remain unclear.

• King Ethelbert School, in Birchington, Kent. The 'Green Building' was closed and the west wing of the main building was vacated following the discovery of RAAC - but lessons will continue on site.

• St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School, Kent. The hall was shut but the headteacher has written to parents to say the rest of the school is safe. Hot lunches will be prepared in the school kitchen and served in classrooms.

• St James' Primary School in Tunbridge Wells closed its junior building temporarily. After receiving advice from the DfE, KCC confirmed it will completely reopen on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, East Sussex County Council said one of its schools was found to have the unsafe concrete, and the school was undertaking an urgent inspection to decide if any parts of the building needed to be closed.

Kent County Council said it had been working with the DfE and senior teachers to ensure schools with buildings containing RAAC have "appropriate mitigations in place".

A spokesman said: "These mitigations fully comply with the requirements of the Institute of Structural Engineers."

Medway Council said none of its maintained schools were found to have RAAC, but it was commissioning additional surveys at its schools.

A West Sussex County Council spokesman said the local authority had completed a review of all the schools it maintains, and none of its schools were closed due to the unsafe concrete issue.

Greenway is run by the GLF academy trust, and so is not maintained by the county council.

In Surrey, Clare Curran, cabinet member for education and learning at the county council, said: "Currently we are not aware of any schools in Surrey that have been told to shut immediately."

She said one school has limited amounts of RAAC but it did not require a full closure.

"We have already been working closely with this school, and experts from the DfE, to ensure an appropriate plan was in place as children return to school," she added.

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