School closures: Donnington school with RAAC stays open with extra ceilings

The school had extra temporary ceilings added to make it safe

A school in Shropshire containing a type of concrete prone to collapse will remain open after extra safety measures were put in place.

Donnington Wood Infants School, Telford, had extra temporary ceilings added, Telford and Wrekin Council said.

More than 100 schools in England were told to shut buildings made of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

RAAC was ruled out in all other schools in the borough.

Inspections were carried out at all schools in Telford and Wrekin for the material, councillor Eileen Callear said.

"We have completed a full survey of the buildings at Donnington Wood Infants School and have put additional safety measures in place to ensure pupil and staff safety, which includes extra temporary ceilings," Ms Callear added.

The Health and Safety Executive says RAAC is now beyond its lifespan and may "collapse with little or no notice".

"We are now working up a plan of works to remove the RAAC [at Donnington Wood Infants] and this work is likely to take place during the summer next year," Ms Callear said.

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She added she wanted to reassure parents, children and staff that the school was safe to open and run as normal.

Donnington Wood Infants has been contacted for comment.

What is RAAC?

• It is a lightweight concrete that was used in roofs, floors and walls between the 1950s and 1990s

• It's a cheaper alternative to standard concrete and because it's aerated, or "bubbly" and is less durable

• It has a limited lifespan of around 30 years, and the structural behaviour differs significantly from traditional reinforced concrete