Why crumbling concrete poses such a risk and the enormous cost to put it right in schools

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

This time last week few people had even heard about RAAC, let alone what it stands for. But since the weekend, we've heard of little else as the latest crisis to engulf the government unfolds.

The risks of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) have been known about for years and in 2018, the Department for Education published guidance for schools about the need to have adequate contingencies in place for the eventuality that RAAC-affected buildings need to be vacated at short notice. Join our FREE Manchester Family WhatsApp group by clicking here For the past year government-commissioned structural engineers have been visiting schools to assess whether they contain RAAC - rating their risk from 'low' to 'critical'.

But having learned of a 'small number of cases' over the summer where RAAC failed without any warning, the government decided to ramp up its policy, telling schools confirmed with RAAC that they must either shut, or close off the section or building where it exists.

Two of the worst affected in Greater Manchester are Bolton schools St Bernard's RC and St William of York Catholic Primary, both of which have had to remain closed altogether this week, with families told they're hoping to reopen on Monday.