Schools across Swindon are to be inspected amid a scare over potentially dangerous concrete building materials.
Swindon Borough Council is to commission inspections of schools that were built between 1930 and 2000.
It comes after more than 100 schools across the country were ordered by the Department for Education to partially or fully close buildings made with a certain type of concrete just as pupils prepare to return after the summer holidays.
Though not confirmed, it is estimated that more than 20 schools in England will have to close entirely due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
None of the schools are understood to be in Swindon.
A Swindon Borough Council spokesperson said “We are working with the Department for Education but, to date, there is no indication that Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) has been used in the construction of any schools in Swindon. However, we will be carrying out further inspections over the next few weeks as a precaution.”
RAAC is a lightweight building material used from the 1950s until the mid-1990s but is now assessed to be at risk of collapse.
The Department for Education had been considering RAAC as a potential issue since late 2018 but the timing of the decision to issue guidance days before the start of term has angered some unions.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, stressed the government’s commitment to safety and 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.”
