Three Suffolk high schools confirm they may close due to concrete safety issues

Claydon High, East Bergholt High and Hadleigh High have all confirmed their buildings contain RAAC - a type of concrete thought to be unsafe

Author: Matt SoanesPublished 1st Sep 2023

Three Suffolk high schools have confirmed they may have to partially re-open, or close entirely, because a potentially unsafe type of concrete has been found on their sites.

Claydon High, East Bergholt High and Hadleigh High, which are all managed by the Penrose Learning Trust, have all confirmed their buildings contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, otherwise known as RAAC.

The material was common in buildings constructed from the 1950s to the 1970s, due to its low cost.

However it's now thought to be degrading leaving buildings at risk of sudden collapse.

The issue is thought to affect around 100 schools across the UK, including the three in Suffolk.

In a letter to parents, bosses at the Penrose Trust say they were only made aware of the problem at 3pm on Thursday, leaving them with precious little time to come up with a plan before the start of the Autumn term on Monday.

Surveys are set to be completed over this weekend to establish the true extent of the problem.

In the letter,the trust writes "we need to consider delaying reopening or partial closure until the issue has been resolved."

In the meantime, parents are being urged not to call the affected schools and instead wait for an update from the Penrose Trust.

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