With the breaking news from the Department for Education (DfE) regarding their updated approach to the impact of RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) in education settings, including schools, colleges and maintained nursery schools, I completely recognise there will be some uncertainty for parents and students in Mid Sussex area ahead of the new Autumn term.
Whilst this DfE announcement explains a further 104 schools, added to the 50 they have already been working directly with, across the UK require support to mitigate the impact to their buildings, I was very pleased to receive this update from Cllr Jacquie Russell, as the Cabinet Member for Children at West Sussex County Council:
“West Sussex County Council is aware of the RAAC issue and has already completed a review of records for WSCC maintained schools. No WSCC maintained schools have been identified from records as containing any indicating RAAC construction and to provide added confidence physical inspections of all maintained school blocks constructed between 1930-2000 is being commissioned.
“We can confirm no West Sussex County Council maintained schools will be immediately shutting due to this issue.”
I understand meanwhile that WSCC are also actively engaging with the academy schools across the area, who are responsible for their own buildings, to ensure reviews have been undertaken. At this time, I am not aware of any academy in Mid Sussex being impacted by these partial or full closures.
The DfE are working directly with affected schools across the UK to assess the impact of the RAAC on their buildings and to put in place mitigation options. Affected schools have been tasked with directly liaising with the parents/carers of their students. I understand that once this has been completed, details of which schools have been impacted will be made public. So the message is very much ‘back to school as normal unless you hear differently and directly from your child’s school’.
I will, of course, continue to closely monitor this situation for schools, nurseries and education settings across our area of Mid Sussex.