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40 more schools and colleges found to have collapse-risk concrete

The number of education settings in England where collapse-risk concrete has been found has risen, the Department for Education (DfE) has said.

Another 40 schools and colleges have been identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) on site.

Overall, 214 education settings in England have been confirmed with Raac as of October 16.

The previous list – updated last month but originally published in August – showed 174 Raac sites as of September 14.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Thanks to the hard work of school and college leaders, 202 settings (94%) are providing full time face-to-face education for all pupils.

“Twelve settings have hybrid arrangements in place.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said there are no education settings with confirmed Raac where all pupils are in full-time remote learning (Danny Lawson/PA)

“This may involve some remote learning on some days as not all pupils can currently receive full-time face-to-face education.

“There are no education settings with confirmed Raac where all pupils are in full-time remote learning.”

Last year, the DfE issued a questionnaire to responsible bodies for all schools in England to ask them to identify whether they suspected they had Raac.

Responsible bodies have submitted responses to the questionnaire for 99.9% of schools and colleges with blocks built in the target era, Ms Keegan said.

She added that the DfE is in contact with those responsible bodies and education settings to resolve 17 remaining responses to the questionnaire.

“I want to reassure pupils, parents and staff that this Government is doing whatever it takes to support our schools and colleges in responding to Raac and minimise disruption to education,” Ms Keegan said.

Related: Secondary school hit by concrete crisis now ‘one of top on list for rebuild’

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