PARENTS have spoken of their relief that their children can still go back to a Basingstoke school despite it having dangerous concrete. 

More than 100 schools and colleges in England have been told they need to shut classrooms or put safety measures in place because they contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) which could suddenly collapse.

The move comes as schools in England start the new academic year and could see thousands of pupils taking lessons remotely.

Hampshire County Council has said Cranbourne College in Basingstoke is the only site in the whole of the county to contain the material and no schools are being told to shut.

The Gazette spoke to a handful of parents on Monday, September 4, who were picking up their children on the first day of the new school year.

READ MORE: Only one Hampshire school has dangerous concrete prone to collapse

One who wished to remain anonymous said: "When I first heard about it, it was a bit of worry but then I know that work is already being carried out to fix the issues.

"There are other schools which are worse off and have been forced to close so we are lucky children here can go back to school."

RAAC is a lightweight, bubbly form of concrete that is usually found on roofs and occasionally on walls and floors but is known to be weak and less durable.

The material was favoured in construction projects because of its lightweight thermal properties.

Another mother, who did not want to be named, said that it was a "relief" her child could go back to school but said it was quite a shock to see the news unfold.

She said: "A lot of parents got told really late about schools being closed so I suppose we could be a lot worse off. I know the school has already done all it can to ensure it is safe."

A council spokesperson said: “No Hampshire school is being closed. We can confirm that Cranbourne College in Basingstoke is the only site where RAAC has been identified among our maintained schools.

"Temporary works have already been undertaken to one section of the building to make sure it is safe and another area has been taken out of use since the beginning of the year, however, the school is expected to open as normal at the start of the autumn term.”

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Schools, hospitals and various other public buildings from the 1950s to the mid-1990s were built using the material.

A National Audit Office report completed earlier this year said the concrete had been confirmed in at least 65 schools in England after 196 completed surveys, with 24 requiring emergency action.

In June, ministers launched a government-wide inquiry into the use of RAAC in public buildings to look into how many of the thousands of government buildings were constructed with it. 

Councillor Steve Forster, Hampshire County Council’s executive member for education, said: “The safety and wellbeing of all children and staff in schools is an absolute priority. We work closely with all our maintained schools and the Department for Education (DfE) to ensure that school buildings are safe and in good condition. We have a comprehensive inspection programme, including structural surveys by qualified engineers, with both short-term and long-term repairs undertaken where appropriate. Works are completed within strict timescales and monitored to ensure compliance. In the case of Cranbourne College, temporary works have been undertaken to one section of the building to make sure it is safe while another area has been out of use since the beginning of the year.

“We also continue to make the case nationally for ongoing investment in our educational estate. We were pleased to announce at the end of last year that Cranbourne College has been provisionally prioritised for major building works under the Government’s £1bn School Rebuilding Programme. We are working with the school and the Department for Education to establish the next steps and are excited about the opportunities this will bring for the entire school community.”

Cranbourne School was contacted by the Gazette but it did not want to comment.