Scottish schools to be assessed for presence of collapse-risk concrete

The presence of collapse-risk concrete in Scottish schools is being assessed by ministers after the UK Government confirmed it will close more than 100 buildings due to the potentially harmful material.

Pupils at the 104 schools south of the border will be placed in temporary accommodation amid the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

The material is a lightweight concrete used from the 1950s up to the mid-1990s which is being assessed after it was linked to the collapse of the roof at Singlewell Primary School in Kent in 2018.

The Scottish Government has confirmed work is under way to fully understand the presence of Raac across the school estate in Scotland, with local authorities expected to prioritise remedial work.

Figures obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats in May revealed the substance was present in at least 37 schools in Scotland.

The data showed the light and bubbly form of precast concrete was present in nine schools in Dumfries and Galloway, seven in Aberdeen, six in Clackmannanshire and five in West Lothian.

Two schools in Dundee, the Highlands and North Lanarkshire were also found to contain the material, as well as single schools in Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, East Lothian and Perth and Kinross.

Guidance from the Institution of Structural Engineers instructs the material to be replaced only if it is deemed to be in a poor condition and is considered a high risk, otherwise it can be managed in place.

The Scottish Government said local authorities are currently undertaking reviews of the presence of Raac in public buildings in Scotland, including schools and hospitals.

It said that where it is found, remedial work could include the closure of impacted rooms or sections of the building and the use of temporary, modular provision for pupils to ensure the continuity of education.

Ministers have also stressed pupils will not be taught in the parts of buildings where the concrete is considered a risk.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “This is an issue the Scottish Government takes very seriously and so we have been working with partner bodies to understand the scope and nature of what we are dealing with.

“Reviews of Raac in property are being conducted by local authorities, NHS Scotland and other public sector organisations.

“Work is currently under way with local authorities to understand the presence of Raac across the school estate.

“We have received returns for the majority of the school estate and expect to have full returns from all local authorities this week.

“For those schools where Raac is found, appropriate mitigation plans have and will be put in place to ensure the safety of pupils and staff. Ministers are clear that they expect local authorities to prioritise this work.

“We issued guidance and background on Raac to the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Property Services networks. We will continue to work closely with all those bodies in responding to the challenge.”

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton urged the Scottish Government to reveal which schools are impacted.

He added: “Ministers need to pull their heads out of the sand and take action. We now know from England that beams previously assessed as safe can still catastrophically collapse. Does Scotland have to have a tragedy before ministers take this seriously?

“This issue has been bubbling up for months and its ridiculous that the Scottish Government have failed to use the summer to rigorously assess the scale of the problem and get repairs under way.”

Teachers’ union NASUWT’s general secretary Patrick Roach called for an immediate survey of school buildings.

He said: “We are calling on the Scottish Government to urgently take steps to assess the safety of the schools estate.

“We need to be clear about which buildings may be affected by Raac and what plans are in place to ensure children’s education faces minimum disruption if their schools are found to be unsafe.”