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Crumbling concrete problem at Essex school to cost £1.25m

PA Media Anglo European School in IngatestonePA Media
Raac was discovered at the Essex school in February this year

The cost of sorting out crumbling concrete at one school was likely to come to £1.25m, a head teacher has told BBC Politics East.

Jody Gee, of the Anglo European School in Ingatestone, Essex, said temporary classrooms have had to be set up while the problem gets dealt with.

She discovered potentially weak concrete, known as Raac, in February.

The government said it would "spend whatever it takes to keep children safe".

Schools have been told to partially or fully shut buildings amid safety concerns over reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) - a lightweight material that was used in construction between the 1950s and the mid-1990s.

Essex has the highest number of schools in the country that have used the material.

Simon Dedman/BBC Headteacher Jody Gee stands in front of the temporary classrooms built at Anglo European School.Simon Dedman/BBC
Head teacher Jody Gee has had temporary classrooms built at Anglo European School in Ingatestone

Mrs Gee said dealing with Raac had been "incredibly stressful", adding it had "taken a lot of time and energy".

She added: "In total what's happened on our school site has cost in the region of £1.25m.

"The Department for Education has funded the project fully."

A graphic showing RAAC in use on outdoor walls, and ceilings.

Essex County Council said 54 schools had been identified as having Raac. Fifteen are local authority maintained schools, but 14 of them "are able to open next week due to mitigation measures having been put in place", it said.

The council added: "The remaining 39 schools are academies, for which the academy trust is the responsible body."

The government said in a statement: "All schools where Raac is confirmed will be provided with funding for all mitigation works that are capital funded, such as propping and temporary accommodation.

"Where schools, colleges and maintained nursery schools need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to other locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, we are actively engaging with every school affected to put appropriate support in place.

"We expect all reasonable requests will be approved."

BBC Politics East will broadcast on Sunday, 17 September at 10:00 BST on BBC One and be available after broadcast on BBC iPlayer.

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