Four temporary classrooms are in place at King Ethelbert School in Birchington, with more on the way, due to the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in some areas of the school.
Concerns were sparked nationally this summer after the collapse of an RAAC beam at a school.
Nationally around 24 schools will need to close and 150 schools in England needed to urgently address the presence of unstable concrete.
RAAC is a lightweight form of concrete used in roof, floor, cladding and wall construction in the UK from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s but there have been recent roof collapses resulting in action by the Department for Education issuing advice about school closures.
King Ethelbert School wrote to parents on Friday informing them it has RAAC in some areas of the building. The DfE changed its guidance last week and advised all bodies responsible for the management of education premises to discontinue use of all spaces where RAAC has been identified with immediate effect.
The school has brought in temporary measures but is working with the Department for Education to secure new, permanent buildings.
‘Usual classes with usual teachers’
A school statement says: “King Ethelbert has worked proactively since the discovery of RAAC to make sure that the impact on students is kept to an absolute minimum.
“Already there are four temporary classrooms which include science laboratories so that practical lessons can continue. The school has also secured a second and third phase of temporary classrooms which will be delivered to the school site in the very near future.
“Although many schools nationally have had to shut or partially shut King Ethelbert is not in that position. The school will have all students being taught the same curriculum in their usual classes with their usual teachers.
“The school, along with Coastal Academies Trust, is already working closely with DfE to look at the more permanent solution which will include some new buildings.
“Headteacher Tom Sellen has written to parents , told them the situation and reassured them that students will be in school from today having their usual timetable in all year groups.”
The school recently achieved its highest recorded grades for GCSE passes.
Mr Sellen said: “The safety and welfare of our students has always been our priority and will continue to be so. We will also continue to deliver high quality education to all the students who attend our wonderful school.”
‘New classrooms’
Kate Greig, CEO of Coastal Academies Trust, added: “We are already working with the DfE to make sure the temporary accommodation is indeed temporary and our students are soon in new classrooms which they absolutely deserve to be.
“Sir Roger Gale, our local MP has been massively helpful and supportive to King Ethelbert and with his help we are confident that we will have new buildings in place shortly.”
Birchington Primary School had a temporary closure before the summer holidays for structural works to be carried out to allow the school reception, office and administration areas to be occupied. A number of interim classrooms were set up, with electrical and IT works completed.
Other affected Kent schools are:
Palmarsh Primary
St James Church if England Primary, Tunbridge Wells
Sunnybank Primary, Sittingbourne
Godinton Primary, Ashford
St Bartholomew’s Catholic Primary School, Swanley
