RAAC affected primary school near Dereham to reopen to children tomorrow

Thomas Bullock Academy's main hall contains RAAC, with updated government guidance forcing it to delay the start of the new term

Author: Tom ClabonPublished 5th Sep 2023

A Norfolk school which has been hit by the issue of crumbling concrete has confirmed it's to reopen to children tomorrow.

Thomas Bullock Primary Academy, in Shipdham, near Dereham, had delayed the start of the school term after the government advised them not to use their main hall.

The structure contains RAAC, which is prone to collapse.

However safety measures have now been put in place meaning the new term can finally begin.

More than 100 schools in England were told to fully or partially close last week because of the use of RAAC in their construction.

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is a lightweight building material used from the 1950s up to the mid-1990s, but is now assessed to be at risk of collapse.

What's the Government planning to do to fix this?

The Department of Education say:

"Where RAAC is confirmed, we provide rapid support to schools on the advice of structural engineers, which includes providing capital funding for essential works to remove any immediate risk and, where necessary, the provision of temporary buildings. This is fully funded by the department.

"We work closely with responsible bodies to manage RAAC in the long-term, supported by capital funding provided to the sector each year, and our rebuilding programme."

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