- RAAC: More than 150 schools in England identified as unsafe
- Send children to school even if they feel anxious, England's chief medical officer advises
- School leaders' union calls for consultation on single-word Ofsted judgements
- Catherine McKinnell appointed new shadow schools minister
RAAC: More than 150 schools in England identified as unsafe
Top storyEducation secretary Gillian Keegan has criticised school leaders who have failed to respond to a survey on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), prompting anger among some headteachers. The survey has come as more than 150 schools in England have been identified as having buildings containing RAAC, which poses a risk of collapse, with many having to close certain buildings or the entire site. By Nicola Woolcock and Oliver Wright, The Times.
The Labour Party will reportedly try to force ministers to release information on what prime minister Rishi Sunak knew about unsafe concrete in schools when he was deciding on funding repairs as chancellor. According to Labour, Mr Sunak's past decisions on funding have led to the disruption. BBC News.
iNews questions why unsafe buildings, from hospitals to schools, have not been dealt with sooner. By Cahal Milmo.
According to BBC News, at least 13 schools confirmed to have RAAC had funding to rebuild withdrawn in 2010. Building Schools for the Future (BSF), a scheme introduced by the Labour Party to renew every secondary school in England, was abolished by the coalition government - which launched its own school building scheme in 2014. By Daniel Wainwright and Lucy Gilder.
The Guardian explores how some newly built schools in England have also been forced to close for safety reasons unrelated to RAAC. By Sally Weale.
Send children to school even if they feel anxious, England's chief medical officer advises
AttendanceSir Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, has said parents should send anxious children into school because keeping them at home will make it worse. In a letter to headteachers published by the DfE, leading medical professionals also advised that pupils should also attend if they have a sore throat, as children are often better off in school even if they have problems with mental or physical health. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.
School leaders' union calls for consultation on single-word Ofsted judgements
InspectionThe Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has called for a consultation on the removal of both the overall effectiveness judgement and the four separate judgements as it considers proposed changes to the watchdog's post-inspection arrangements and complaints handling. By Matilda Martin, Tes.
Catherine McKinnell appointed new shadow schools minister
Education policyLabour's frontbench reshuffle has seen Catherine McKinnell replace Stephen Morgan as shadow schools minister. A former shadow children’s minister and member of the Parliamentary Education Committee, Ms McKinnell has been MP for Newcastle North since 2010. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.