Aylesford School: Parent's call for exam mark-up after asbestos find

Siobhan McKenna said proposed dispensation for pupils of Raac schools should also apply to those disrupted by asbestos

A parent of a pupil at a school that shut half its buildings amid Raac fears has said that following the discovery of asbestos there, disrupted students should be given special dispensation.

Raac - a type of concrete at risk of crumbling - has seen school closures across England since the summer.

On Thursday, a report said affected pupils should get a 10% exam boost.

The parent said even though asbestos-hit Aylesford School turned out to be Raac-free, the same should be applied.

The site in Warwick closed half of its buildings in September, suspecting Raac had been used during construction and therefore posed a risk of collapse.

On Friday, however, the school confirmed that following investigations across the estate, there was no such material. But it described as a "primary concern" the presence of asbestos, the discovery of which had been announced previously following initial probes for Raac.

Temporary classrooms were opened to compensate for the closures. With the disruption continuing into the new year, pupils have returned this term to the temporary provision.

The school said the removal of asbestos would not be completed until September 2024.

As a result, affected pupils should be compensated by exam boards with the proposed 10% mark-up, said Siobhan McKenna, mother of a Year 10 student preparing for her GCSEs.

"The next step for us is to make sure that any concessions that Raac schools get also apply to us because [the students are] in exactly the same position."

The head teacher of Aylesford School has told parents Raac has been ruled out

In their report, professors at Durham University said school exam boards must take into account "lost learning".

It followed comments from the Department for Education (DfE) last month that stated: "It is not possible to make changes to exams and assessments for only some groups of students to address the impact of variable disruption to teaching."

The DfE later added, however, that exam boards had been asked to agree to coursework extensions where possible.

Across England, 231 schools and colleges have Raac within their buildings, with the number expected to rise.

Ms McKenna said it was "great news" Raac had been ruled out at Aylesford.

"But the problem now," she said, "is that pupils had been affected in the same way as other schools that do have Raac, so if there are any boosts, is Aylesford going to get it?"