Concrete crisis: School delays term start over RAAC concerns

St Edwards said the postponement of the new term followed a recent building inspection

A Derbyshire school has delayed re-opening for the start of term by a week over concerns its building may contain crumbling concrete.

St Edward's Catholic Voluntary Academy, in Swadlincote, is investigating a "potential issue" with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) following a recent building survey.

Pupils had been due to return on Monday but the school will now remain shut until 11 September.

The school said safety was "paramount".

Kevin Gritton, chief executive officer of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs the 233-pupil school in Newhall Road, said: "We are working as quickly as possible to confirm the existence of RAAC and then inform parents and staff of what steps, if any, need to be taken to ensure the safety of staff and pupils.

"As a result we have informed staff and parents at St Edward's that we will need to delay the start to term until Monday, 11 September.

"This is to allow further investigations to take place.

"The safety of our staff and pupils is paramount and current government guidance is that no staff or pupils enter any areas where there is suspected RAAC."

The trust told the BBC it was unable to give further details about the issue discovered during the survey at this stage.

In a letter to parents, it said it had not taken the decision to remain shut lightly.

The trust said it was in continuing discussions with the Department for Education (DfE) and would keep parents updated.

Part of Parks Primary School in Leicester has been taped off as they contain RAAC

St Edwards is one of several East Midlands schools where the start of term has been disrupted by RAAC issues.

Leicester City Council confirmed three schools had to be "taken out of use" because of RAAC.

Cas Evans, the head teacher of Parks Primary in New Parks Crescent in the city, said she had to relocate several classes and "borrow" rooms.

She estimated the cost of the disruption so far, including getting new toilet blocks for her pupils, was £30,000.

Mayflower Primary School in Leicester was given just 24 hours to close after the problem was identified.

Head teacher Luke Whitney said having to spread its 500 pupils across four sites, including a mosque's community hall and a manor house, had been an "absolute nightmare".

Last week the school was able to partially reopen for half of its 474 pupils while a temporary module is built.

The third Leicester school affected was Willowbrook Mead Primary Academy, the council said.

RAAC issues were also identified at Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, but the school was able to re-open last week.

Nottinghamshire County Council said Carnarvon Primary School in Bingham, was checked for RAAC but "no immediate issues" were identified.