Doncaster Council issues update on unsafe concrete as Yorkshire schools closed

More than 100 schools in England have been told to fully or partially close because they are fitted with a concrete that could suddenly collapse.

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is a lightweight building material used from the 1950s up to the mid-1990s, but is now assessed to be at risk of collapse.

On Thursday, the Department for Education said it had contacted 104 more schools after 52 of the 156 educational settings containing the concrete took protective steps so far this year.

At this stage, it is not known if any Doncaster schools are impacted.

A City of Doncaster Council spokesman said: “Doncaster Council has responsibility for 24 community maintained schools, all of which have been checked and cleared for the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in accordance with the DfE Guidance published earlier in the year.

"Checks on the remaining voluntary aided schools (6) and academies (98) are the responsibility of the relevant governing body or trust to check and Doncaster Council continues to proactively engage with them to remind them of their responsibilities to do so.”

The Government has not yet published a list of the schools that are affected but it is known that at least four in Yorkshire are among those facing challenges ahead of the new term.

The Yorkshire schools affected are Eldwick Primary School, Bingley, Crossflatts Primary School, Bradford, Abbey Lane Primary School, Sheffield and Scalby School, Scarborough.