Swindon and Wiltshire schools not affected by concrete concerns
Yesterday it was announced that up to 100 schools across England may have to close parts of their buildings
Schools maintained by both Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Council are not affected by the concerns that they could collapse.
Yesterday it was announced that up to 100 schools across England may have to close parts of their buildings because of the imminent concern of the collapse of buildings using a special lightweight type of concrete.
Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete was used to construct schools, and colleges between the 1950s and 1970s in the UK but has since been found to be at risk of collapse.
In total, the government said 156 schools were found to contain RAAC, of which 104 require urgent action while 52 have already received repair work.
It is understood that schools under the control of either Swindon Borough Council or Wiltshire Council are not on that list.
Swindon Borough Council said: ““We are working with the Department for Education but, to date, there is no indication that Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) has been used in the construction of any schools in Swindon. However, we will be carrying out further inspections over the next few weeks as a precaution.”
The government has faced criticism for not publishing the list of schools it has ordered to be closed. So far six schools have been named, none in the south of England.
Education Minister Nick Gibbs said on Time Radio: “Parents can be assured that if they haven’t heard from schools, that it is safe to send their children into school.”
Academy schools, Free schools and voluntary aided schools run by churches will be informed directly by the Department for Education.