Bridget Phillipson says every school affected by crumbling Raac concrete will be repaired by the end of this parliament, backed by record capital investment

As reported by the Guardian, all English schools affected by crumbling reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) are expected to be fully repaired by the end of the current parliament, the education secretary has announced.

Bridget Phillipson said “clear and firm timelines” are now in place to ensure every classroom is made safe, after decades of underinvestment left parts of the school estate at risk of collapse.

Raac, a lightweight concrete widely used in mid-20th century construction, was discovered in 237 schools and colleges across England – around 1% of the total. Although 62 sites have already completed permanent repairs, nearly 50 are still waiting for full removal work to finish.

“We inherited an education estate in crisis,” Phillipson said. “But this government will not allow unsafe buildings to define the future of our schools. Every child deserves a safe, modern space to learn.”

The government has pledged £38 billion in capital spending over the next five years to modernise the education estate – the largest level of investment since 2010–11, according to the Department for Education.