Concrete in schools

[lemonyaid]

How have they only just now decided to close the buildings until they are safe? Has someone been injured?

... and is there a list of schools affected anywhere? I'm assuming if we haven't been contacted it doesn't apply to us.

The real problem is someone, somewhere must have said that things couldn't get much worse.

Presumably all the extra travel (and I already know there has been fuck all planning on this) will blow up any ULEZ gains.

Who remembers "The Happiest Days of Your Life" ?

Could you provide a bit more context please @lemonyaid ?

@ArcticLingered This, which is the main story on the BBC:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-66673971

Over 500 inspections have been done over the summer hols. So far 100 have come back as needing to close with inspection results still to come in. So it's possible more closures are to come. Schools are being contacted by DFE if they need to close who will in turn contact parents.

They’ve known about this for years, the Tories voted a few months ago against a Labour motion to force them to name the affected schools.

There have been a few collapses involving this material, the risk of death or injury has been ‘very likely’ for a while. There was a serious one that luckily happened at a weekend.

We have this in Edinburgh too. In our school it’s just one small party of one building so with using the gym and assembly halls everyone can stay on site. It has always been the case that schools are built cheaply. My secondary in the 80s was closed for asbestos removal.

It’s only just been announced. I’m sure there will be a list of schools affected asap.

Feels like January 2021 all over again

Have you got any more info on that collapse @noblegiraffe?

I feel like I’ve read a report on one of the mainstream sites in the past few days about the problem in schools generally and am wondering if it was gearing up for this? (I actually think authorities/government have had their hands absolutely forced to announce this)

100!!!

A primary school near me closed their building because of concrete canker last year. They had to spread the classes across several other schools where there were free classrooms. Luckily there is a new school that isn't full yet, so I think that one absorbed quite a bit.

It doesn't just impact on the closed schools, but the ones who have to provide cover space too.

It's not just schools. Many other buildings, mainly public sector,

UK public buildings feared to be at risk of collapse as concrete crumbles | Universities | The Guardian

'Matt Byatt, the president of the Institution of Structural Engineers, said RAAC could be present in “office blocks, sports facilities, high street stores and hospitality buildings”.... “typically, low-rise structures with flat roofs built between mid-1960s and mid-1990s would be the most likely candidates to contain RAAC”.

A lot of roofs need to be replaced. It's going to take years and cost billions and many buildings can't safely be occupied in the meantime.

It was Singlewell Primary School, Kent in 2018.

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/12/05/mzry-d05.html

This article has info on other incidents too.

The govt have been incredibly slow to react.

RAAC is a massive problem in hospitals too.

It's been a ticking timebomb in schools, hospitals and many other buildings as Barbara says. It's been known about for ages, but as usual, our government is too slow and prevaricates, hoping it can ignore things until after elections. Then it becomes a crisis.

Im worried that they are going to suddenly decide they need to close lots of hospital buildings on top of this.

I mean, I posted this in December last year when the threat of schools collapsing was upgraded to very likely, and we're nearly in September and they're still pissing around not saying which schools are at risk. They are actively letting those parents send their kids into schools where there's a risk of injury or death and not telling them because the parents would rightly kick off.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4703940-risk-of-school-buildings-in-england-collapsing-upgraded-to-very-likely

Awful! What have they been doing!

I saw this breaking and thought I know noble has been trying to raise awareness on this for a while.

I cant believe they are delaying telling the schools knowing they arent safe. Shows how much value they place on children and staff lives.

Im dreading this being one of my schools which is a low rise flat roofed schools built in 1970ish. Noone has inspected it. Maybe we should arrange our own inspection.

Our school is exactly fitting of the description of characteristics from the structural engineer quoted above. makes you feel REALLY confident doesn't it. 😵‍💫🤦🏼‍♀️

BBC report says Government aren’t providing a list of schools impacted

Thanks for those links. I’ve been vaguely aware of an ongoing issue with public buildings but the truth is life is bloody hard at the moment and there isn’t enough space in my head...……and there should be given how much this family had to make use of hospitals and had a junior aged child.

This is just yet another government shit show! A few days before the new academic year starts is the worst timing!!! I feel sorry for the heads, teachers, pupils affected and the stress it's going to cause in the coming weeks.

oh ffs

Well let’s see what the media do with that then. I’m guessing a Labour government announcing this would be subject to the usual suspects collating a list themselves.

I’m sure the DM will collate a list of the buildings that have even the faintest whiff of anything connected to Labours government PFI’s.

‘oh look, we identified a problem but as we weren’t the people that signed off on it initially it’s f all to do with us’.

Same as usual nothing.

It is a complete disgrace. They've known for ages. Building work could have been started over the holidays and mobile classrooms could have been put in place ready for the start of term. Yet more disruption caused by a government who really don't care.