The school summer holidays offer responsible bodies an important opportunity to inspect buildings, undertake remedial work and update safety records before pupils return in September, according to Property Inspect.
Its analysis found that primary schools accounted for approximately half of the education settings in England confirmed to contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
Government data initially identified 234 affected settings, including 117 primary and 91 secondary schools. The Department for Education closed its identification programme in October 2024 with a final total of 237 schools and colleges.
The East of England contained the greatest concentration, accounting for an estimated 38% of affected establishments. It was followed by the South East at 14.1%, London at 12.8% and the North West at 11.1%.
REMOVAL PROGRAMME
Attention has since moved from locating RAAC towards permanently removing it, rebuilding affected premises and demonstrating that any remaining risks are being managed appropriately.
By September 2025, more than half of affected schools and colleges were either free from RAAC or progressing towards its removal. The latest figures cited by Property Inspect indicate it has now been removed from 62 settings, while 71 schools are being rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme.
The Government has reportedly committed £211m to mitigation and remediation measures, including structural surveys, temporary accommodation, emergency work and rebuilding projects.
While major reconstruction cannot necessarily be completed during one summer closure, the reduced occupation provides an opportunity to conduct intrusive surveys and undertake planned work with less disruption.
TRACEABLE RECORDS
Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, Operations Director at Property Inspect, said: “The RAAC crisis has shown that identifying a building defect is only the beginning. The real test is whether those responsible for an estate can show that the risk has been assessed, controlled, monitored and resolved.
“As schools move from emergency measures into long-term remediation, responsible bodies need an accurate and current picture of their buildings. They should be able to see where risks remain, what temporary measures are in place, when those measures were last reviewed and who is responsible for the next action.”
She said inspection findings, structural advice, photographs, approvals and evidence of completed repairs should form a clear, traceable record.
“The Building Safety Act does not place the same formal golden-thread duties on every school, but it has raised expectations around how building safety information is recorded, maintained and used,” Hemming-Metcalfe added.
