RAAC in Schools: Where Do We Stand in 2025?

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) made headlines in 2023 when, due to its presence, over one hundred schools couldn’t open in time for the new term. Almost 18 months later, many schools still haven’t found solutions for the aerated concrete in their buildings.

In this article, we look at the problem of RAAC in schools, proposed solutions and what you can do if you think your school still has a RAAC problem.

What is the history of RAAC in schools?

While RAAC has been considered a problematic building material since the 1980s, problems in school estates suddenly escalated when the roof of a Kent school collapsed without warning in 2018. In July of that year, the Department for Education (DfE) published guidance for schools highlighting safety concerns with RAAC.

Issues were raised further before the start of the 2023 autumn term when three UK schools experienced sudden roof collapses. All were subsequently attributed to RAAC. In August 2024, the government advised schools and colleges to vacate areas known to contain RAAC until suitable mitigations were in place.

RAAC is a lightweight material used in construction between the 1950s and 1990s. It’s light, cheap and fire-resistant, making it a popular choice for roof panels in commercial and public sector buildings — particularly schools, colleges and hospitals.

Unfortunately, RAAC doesn’t have the same structural strength as traditional reinforced concrete. It is more prone to deflection, more vulnerable to corrosion and highly susceptible to water ingress. Cracks can form and weaken panels which can lead to sudden failures.

Any school building built between the 1950s and mid-1990s may contain RAAC. Current figures show RAAC is present in 234 schools and colleges, or around one per cent of all schools. In around half of these cases, schools need rebuilding or extensive refurbishment.

While many schools were forced to temporarily close, every school with confirmed RAAC currently provides full-time face-to-face education for pupils.

What action is the government taking?

The government arranged for any school or college with a suspected case of RAAC to have a survey, with some schools carrying out additional checks. Any school with confirmed RAAC received a government case worker to help them implement mitigation plans, including using other on-site and local buildings and installing temporary ones.

The government aims to permanently remove RAAC from the country’s schools and colleges via grant funding and the School Rebuilding Programme. The School Rebuilding Programme is a government program that carries out major building work at over 500 schools and sixth-form colleges across England. It includes over 100 schools with confirmed RAAC.

How much remediation work has been carried out?

Unfortunately, rebuilding and remediation work have been slow. According to Stephen Morgan, Labour Education Minister, and reported by The Independent, almost 90 per cent of schools have yet to remove or remediate RAAC.

Only 30 schools have so far had RAAC removed through grants. Morgan said it could take five years to fix the problem in response to a Liberal Democrat parliamentary question.

What to do if you think your school has RAAC?

The DfE says it’s important that schools and other bodies remain aware of the possible presence of RAAC and know how to identify it.

It has provided guidance on this matter, which you can find here.

If you detect RAAC in your school or want peace of mind for teachers, students and parents, then arrange a RAAC survey with a qualified professional.

How RCS can help

RCS is a RAAC specialist whose approach is driven by guidance from relevant bodies and leaders in RAAC engineering science. We offer comprehensive RAAC surveys and only employ experienced surveyors with extensive RAAC experience.

An RCS survey is incredibly comprehensive, ensuring all relevant areas are surveyed to give teachers, governors and parents peace of mind. If RAAC is discovered at your school, we can manage the issue from discovery to full remediation.

Speak to one of our experts for more information, or book an introductory call today.