Raac: Stepney All Saints School closes over concrete concerns

Pupils at Stepney All Saints School have been moved to online learning

A secondary school in east London has been forced to close two weeks into the school year after potentially unsafe concrete was found in its building.

Stepney All Saints School was advised to shut by the Department for Education (DfE).

Surveys have been carried out at schools following a change in guidance on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

The BBC has approached the school for comment.

A sign outside the building said it was closed "until further notice" and all lessons would take place online, while the DfE said the school to shut on Thursday.

A spokesperson for the government department said: "We know this will be a difficult time for parents and pupils, which is why we will continue to work with the Diocese and Stepney All Saints School to support them to put mitigations in place so that pupils can return to the classroom as soon possible."

The school has about 1,500 pupils, according to a 2021 Ofsted report.

Signs have been placed outside the school about the closure

Bethnal Green and Bow MP Rushanara Ali questioned why the government allowed pupils to attend the school for the first two weeks of term "if it has now been deemed unsafe".

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The mayor of London said he had written to the education secretary to "demand immediate answers" on the matter.

Sadiq Khan said: "The government's disregard for student safety in London's schools is appalling.

"They have failed to act and issue clear, consistent guidance to schools on this hugely important issue and are putting our children's safety and education at risk."

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The DfE spokesperson said: "We have been working at pace to identify and support all schools with Raac.

"Whilst we will always endeavour to work with schools to continue with face-to-face learning, pupil and staff's safety must come first.

"As a result, a very small number of impacted schools have needed to turn to remote learning for a short period of time."

The department said it had sent a project director to support the school.

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