Solihull schools to open as planned amid dangerous concrete scare in England

Schools in Solihull will open as scheduled for the start of term next week amid countrywide fears over faulty concrete in buildings.

Just days before schools return, the Government has told that 104 English schools will not open as they contain a weak form of ‘concrete’. Schools, colleges and nurseries with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) should close unless safety mitigations are in place, said the Department for Education (DfE).

The department contacted all 104 settings where RAAC is currently confirmed to be present without mitigations in place and those schools have been asked to vacate spaces or buildings that are known to contain RAAC.

The DfE said in a release: “The majority of these settings will remain open for face-to-face learning on their existing site, because only a small part of the site is affected by RAAC. A minority will need to either fully or partially relocate to alternative accommodation while mitigations are put in place because of the extent to which RAAC is present.”

What did Solihull Council say?

We asked Solihull Council if schools will return as usual on Monday (September 4). A representative said: “No schools in Solihull are affected at this current time and there are no planned closures for Monday.”

What did Education Secretary Gillian Keegan say?

Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, said: “Nothing is more important than making sure children and staff are safe in schools and colleges, which is why we are acting on new evidence about RAAC now, ahead of the start of term.

“We must take a cautious approach because that is the right thing to do for both pupils and staff. The plan we have set out will minimise the impact on pupil learning and provide schools with the right funding and support they need to put mitigations in place to deal with RAAC.”