Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) and management of school estates

Education Committee Open Non-inquiry session
Opened: 14 Oct 2025 Parliament page
This one off session follows up the RAAC crisis in schools in the summer of 2023 and the work that followed by DfE and schools to remediate faulty end-of-life concrete in school buildings. It will also look into school estate management more broadly to consider other problems within the built … Read more
8 Recommendations
8 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Event
Activity timeline 4 events
17 Apr
2026
Report published
11 Feb
2026
Report published
28 Oct
2025
Oral evidence
28 Oct
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
28 Oct 2025
View on parliament.uk
Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and the management of school estates
Bryony Green · Aldridge Education Dr Jonathan Dewsbury · Department for Education Josh Macalister OBE MP · Department for Education Mr Andy Walls · NAHT - The school leaders' union Mr Patrick Hayes · The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) Professor Chris Goodier · Loughborough University Rob Thomas · The Educational Building and Development Officers Group of local authorities
Title HC No. Published Items Response
7th Report - Foundations of Learning: replacing RAAC and securin… HC 1399 11 Feb 2026 16 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
7th Report - Foundations of Learni…
RAAC emergency reveals chronic capital investment deficit across the school estate.
Taken together, the RAAC emergency represents more than an isolated safety risk, it is symptomatic of a chronic capital investment deficit. Restoring resilience to the school estate requires sustained, strategic investment, a clear commitment to long-term infrastructure renewal and recognition … Read more
Government Response
The government welcomes the report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to their wider programme of work.
Department for Education
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2 Conclusion Acknowledged
7th Report - Foundations of Learni…
Government made significant progress identifying and remediating RAAC in school buildings.
The removal and remediation of RAAC from school buildings has been essential to safeguarding pupils and staff. We recognise the significant progress made by the Government and the Department for Education in identifying affected sites, implementing emergency measures, and committing … Read more
Government Response
The government welcomes the report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to their wider programme of work.
Department for Education
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3 Conclusion Acknowledged
7th Report - Foundations of Learni…
RAAC remediation caused stress and learning disruption; temporary fixes are inadequate.
However, the process has not been without cost. For school leaders, teachers, and above all pupils, the experience has been stressful and has affected learning and well-being. In those schools where RAAC remains an ongoing issue, temporary solutions cannot substitute … Read more
Government Response
The government welcomes the report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to their wider programme of work.
Department for Education
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4 Conclusion Acknowledged
7th Report - Foundations of Learni…
Government pledges RAAC removal or rebuild for all affected schools by Parliament's end.
We welcome the Government’s pledge that, by the end of this Parliament, every school building containing RAAC will either have had it removed or be in the process of a rebuild. This is an ambitious and necessary commitment. We will … Read more
Government Response
The Government welcomes the Education Committee’s Seventh Report and thanks the Committee for its thorough examination of RAAC in schools and for the broader consideration of the condition, management and long- term resilience of the education estate.
Department for Education
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5 Conclusion Acknowledged
7th Report - Foundations of Learni…
DfE made advances in RAAC response, but sustained implementation is still required.
We recognise the substantial efforts undertaken since 2023 to safeguard pupils and staff, and to restore continuity of learning in settings affected by RAAC. The Department has improved guidance, begun to professionalise 18 estate capability, strengthened resilience arrangements, and committed … Read more
Government Response
The government welcomes the report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to their wider programme of work.
Department for Education
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8 Conclusion Acknowledged
7th Report - Foundations of Learni…
RAAC crisis highlights ageing, fragile school estate requiring more than incremental fixes.
The RAAC crisis highlighted a deeper, systemic issue: the ageing and fragile condition of England’s school estate. RAAC is not the only issue of concern within the wider school estate. While we welcome the Government’s commitment to publish a long-term … Read more
Government Response
The government welcomes the Education Committee's report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to the Education Estates Strategy, backed by a 10-year plan for a decade of national renewal to transform schools and colleges in England.
Department for Education
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Government Response AI assessment · 16 of 8 classified
Accepted 5
Accepted in Part 4
Acknowledged 6
Rejected 1
Total 8 recs + 8 conclusions