Schools with RAAC - what’s yours doing?

[RAACwoes]

Just thought I’d start a thread for those of us whose DC go to a school affected by RAAC.

My teenagers go to a secondary where one of the buildings is affected, meaning 20 classrooms and the canteen are now out of use.

They are implementing a rota where Yrs 8 & 10 will be home-learning one week, Yrs 9 & 12 the next. Both of mine fall into these years so will have a DC home-schooling at all times (and both of mine struggle with it).

Many are saying that this could be the case well into 2024.

one of the local primaries is affected and have not yet opened for the new term. Yrs 4 & 5 are going to be accommodated at a different school in the area.

I am literally waiting to be told today 😭

Are you intending to try and move them? I know it won’t be easy but I’m going to at least give it a go if I have news like that.

Why are they even having an intake of year 12? That in itself is crazy.

So far ours are just going back a bit late but I am worried because the minutes of a council meeting mentioned a phase 2 and we haven't had any indication of how they're going to manage that. I'm hopeful it'll be squishing them up a bit while it's sorted, rather than anything more extreme but could be being naive. Their 6th form recently closed so at least in theory there ought to be slightly more space than they need

Googling home schooling

Neither the government nor the school is being transparent.

‘Home schooling’ feels too much like a get out these days. Historically eg when a school caught fire, children had to be accommodated somewhere. So that meant loads of portacabins, church halls, hotels, wherever could fit them in. But at least they got proper face to face teaching.

Marquee or field are the options du jour I believe.

I think our chances of finding a school round here that doesn't have RAAC that's over 30 years old and does have spaces might be slim.

Local secondary (and even private) schools are all full here…at least they were - I was actually trying to move one DC last term due to a bullying situation. I suppose the part-time home-schooling gives that DC some respite from that however education will suffer.

2009 was a baby boom year here and they already have bulge classes.

Yeah I don’t know - I do know that some schools are full. I feel I should at least try it though even if it is impossible. The only other schools that would have simple logistics are private.

I wonder if any private schools used RAAC? If so some could find themselves in financial difficulty.

On Monday we were t

On Monday we were told DS's high school definitely didn't have an RAAC. Tuesday they went back to school. Wednesday we were told they did have RAAC.

They are closing off the areas which have it, which seems to be reception area, changing rooms& gyms and some classrooms for now. No indoor PE. Come to school in kit on PE days, but they are not making any promises about keeping everybody on site.

Which I'd gone into structural engineering rather than geotechnical eng now!

Yes, private schools are affected. My DSs independent school was resited in the 60s and the new building is full of Raac. Term started a day late for years 3-9 and tomorrow the other year groups go back. My DS will mainly be outside tomorrow which is fine in warm weather but we still don't know what will happen from next week onwards. It's very worrying ...

We’re going back next week thank goodness. What a week, am going to take tomorrow afternoon off to treat dd, she’s been really worried about it.

Fingers crossed the rest of you get positive news soon.

Ours is closed indefinitely. No idea what will happen next. No chance of moving to another school. It's all a compete shit show with no one telling us what will happen. Or when!

Government should be sorting funding for schools affected so online learning can be set up and temporary classrooms provided.

What a nightmare @JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn. I really feel for you.

@JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn we’re in the same boat now following a u-turn 😭. You aren’t alone. It’s absolutely shite. School transfer request in, found breakdown of offers for year after dd’s and it included unplaced for the school I’ve put first. I’m going to phone local private school tomorrow. It’s an utter nightmare.

The school hasn’t been historically oversubscribed but there’s been loads of building work.

Oh no Tea. What year are your DC in? Mine going back Tuesday but a u turn is my fear, because I've still heard nothing about phase 2, which was initially assessed as not yet critical but that was before the risk guidance changed.

Year 10 is the one who’s off. Important year too 😞. I also have a year 7, but they’re in atm, she would be nigh on impossible to move if that changes I think.

I can't understand why this isn't national news? Not a peep anywhere. It's a disgrace. We've got thousands of children with no schools to go to and not a word about it anywhere.

Our school has been pretty good. They contacted parents week prior to going back saying that they are still opening. Today they sent out a letter saying our council have told them there is no RAAC in the school. The school wanted to be absolutely sure though and got their own surveyors in to fully check it out and all is fine.

It is national news; it was all over the papers last week.

Part of my DC's school is taped off. All classes are in, but they're all shuffled around and squished up with one year being taught in the corridor. Lunch is being eaten on the field underneath a variety of gazebos. No idea when it will be sorted yet, of course...

It should be ongoing national news if thousands of kids are affected.
What a terrible start to the term!