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Suffolk head teachers frustrated by Raac classroom delays

Luke Deal/BBC The new library and office buildingLuke Deal/BBC
The library at Farlingaye High School reopened inside a repurposed shipping container

Head teachers have spoken of their frustration that schools were still without classrooms due to crumbling concrete.

Farlingaye High School in Woodbridge, Suffolk, had to shut down part of its site due to issues with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

Head teacher Peter Smith said the Department for Education (DfE) had made slow progress with renovations.

The DfE said it was working to remove the Raac "as quickly as possible".

Penrose Learning Trust A temporary classroom on the playground at Claydon High SchoolPenrose Learning Trust
Claydon High School has had a temporary learning space erected on its playground

Raac has affected 234 schools and colleges in England, 119 of which have been added to the government's School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).

Mr Smith said the school was initially able to reinstate four classrooms in its drama department, but since being added to the government's SRP in early February, work had been paused while the DfE made a decision on next steps.

"I fully appreciate there are lots of schools affected... but this needs some real urgency," Mr Smith added.

Penrose Learning Trust manages three Suffolk high schools in Hadleigh, Claydon and East Bergholt High, all of which contained damaged concrete.

The trust's CEO Sarah Skinner said she was frustrated that the schools were still without specialised labs for GCSE subjects, including science and DT.

"We've not been told anything. There's no timeline," she said.

Penrose Learning Trust Temporary classrooms as Hadleigh High SchoolPenrose Learning Trust
Hadleigh High School has received temporary classrooms but is still waiting for specialised labs for GCSE subjects

Mrs Skinner said bespoke rooms, containing gas and water supplies for science and extractors for DT, had been promised but would not be delivered for another three months.

"They will only be arriving in May, which is the start of the exam season - that's been tricky for Year 11 DT students," she continued.

"We have had an extension from the exam board to help us with that, but extensions are only of any use if you've then got a classroom to get the students back into, so that's been frustrating."

A spokesperson for DfE said: "We are committed to removing RAAC within schools in a timely manner and are working with responsible bodies to work as quickly as possible.

"Each case is different and will require different levels of work, however, in some cases work is already underway and will be completed in coming months."

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