NAHT responds to revelation that 13 schools hit by axe of building programme have RAAC

Responding to reports that the government decision to axe the Building Schools for the Future Programme in 2010 affected at least 13 schools which have now been found to have RAAC, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 

“This lays bare the very real and devastating impact of government cuts to funding for school rebuilding and refurbishment, which has fallen by half in real terms since 2010.

“It demonstrates that this is not a problem that has suddenly arisen out of the blue but has been made much worse as a result of political decisions over a number of years.

“The government cannot turn back the clock. But it can stop trying to shift the blame and pledge major new investment to ensure all schools are safe and inspiring places in which to learn - as well as fully funding costs of making alternative arrangements for pupils and swiftly identifying and addressing potentially dangerous RAAC in the short-term.

"At the same time, it's important the government honours its commitments to existing approved rebuilding and refurbishment projects, including those for schools which are not affected by RAAC."