Oldham College has been confirmed to have Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) on its campus as plans to remove the concrete are revealed.

The Department for Education (DfE) said 234 schools across the country are affected by the announcement on Thursday (February 8), of which around half of them are to have one or more buildings rebuilt or refurbished.

When the initial list of schools with RAAC hit the headlines for the first time at the start of the academic year, no schools in Oldham were included on the list.

Now, however, it has been confirmed that RAAC has been found on the Oldham College campus, but is isolated to just one building.

A spokesperson for Oldham College said: “Only one building on our campus, the Grange Theatre, is affected by RAAC.”

“This building is closed and has not been in use since October 2021 after it failed a safety inspection due to significant faults with circuitry and wiring.

“We’re currently awaiting further information from the Department of Education about this scheme. Any decision on our next plans for the building will be included in the campus masterplan which we are currently working on.”

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The Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, has said the Department of Education is working with schools to establish how to remove the lightweight concrete.

Ms Keegan said: "Nothing is more important to me than the safety of every child and member of staff in schools. We will continue to work closely with schools, colleges and local authorities as we take the next step to remove RAAC from affected buildings.

"I want to thank all schools, colleges and local authorities who have worked tirelessly with the department to ensure all children remain in face-to-face education."

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Across England around half of the schools are to be supported via the School Rebuilding Programme. They are to have one or more buildings rebuilt or refurbished because their issues with RAAC are more major.

A DfE spokesperson said: "Our priority will always be to ensure the safety of pupils and staff, which is why we took a cautious approach for schools and colleges. 

"Although the technical advice does not recommend removal in all cases where it is present, we have taken a precautionary approach for the education estate in England to remove RAAC."