Sidcup Cleeve Park School: Dangerous concrete discovered

Cleeve Park School, an 11-18 mixed secondary school in Sidcup, has been found to have this type of concrete, which poses a potential risk to the safety of the building.

According to the BBC, four classrooms, some admin offices, and the gym will be closed as a result.

This issue is not isolated to Cleeve Park School, as more than 100 schools across England have been told to fully or partially close due to the presence of this particular type of concrete.

The material in question is reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), a lightweight building material that was commonly used from the 1950s to the mid-1990s, but it has now been assessed to be at risk of collapse.

The Department for Education (DfE) has taken action regarding this issue.

Out of the 156 educational settings that contain the concrete, 52 schools have already taken protective measures this year.

As a result, the DfE has contacted an additional 104 schools to ensure they are aware of the potential risks associated with Raac.

As of now, the government has not released a comprehensive list of affected schools, leaving many uncertain about the safety of their own educational institutions.

While 24 schools are estimated to have been instructed to close entirely due to the presence of Raac, this information has not been confirmed by the government or relevant authorities.

• RELATED: Jeremy Hunt says more schools with 'structural problems' could be found in weeks

The London Borough of Bexley currently has one Academy School - Cleeve Park School, Sidcup, where reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete has been discovered in a small part of the school following a DfE survey. 1/2

— London Borough of Bexley (@LBofBexley) September 4, 2023

In response to the closures, the government has recommended a pandemic-style learning approach that should last "days, not weeks."

The DfE is working with education leaders to ensure that remote lessons are limited and that alternative locations, such as nearby schools, community centres, or empty local office buildings, are utilized while structural supports are installed to mitigate the risk of collapse.

In a statement on Saturday, the DfE said: “We are incredibly grateful to school and college leaders for their work with us at pace to make sure that where children are affected, disruption is kept to a minimum, and in the even rarer cases where remote learning is required, it is for a matter of days not weeks.”

The DfE expressed gratitude towards school and college leaders for their cooperation in minimizing disruption for affected students.

Cleeve Park School has been approached for further comment.