Schools in Northumberland will not be impacted by government's RAAC closures, council says

Over 100 schools in England could be impacted by the government mandate, but Northumberland County Council believes the area’s schools are not considered at risk.

RAAC is a lightweight form of concrete typically used in the construction of roofs that was utilised in the construction of public buildings between the 1950s and the mid-1990s. It is prone to collapse when it ages, particularly if it becomes wet.

A Northumberland County Council spokesperson said: “We would like to reassure families that our investigations have found no evidence of the presence of RAAC in our maintained schools in Northumberland.

“Academies are liaising directly with the Department for Education, but we have not been made aware of any instances of RAAC being present in their buildings at this time.

“All schools are therefore expected to be open as normal at the start of the autumn term.

“We would advise parents and carers to check their school websites for further details of arrangements for returning to school.

"We will continue to update this statement if new information becomes available.”