The government has been accused of “staggering incompetence” after new school buildings it commissioned had to be closed due to safety fears, while others under construction were demolished before they even opened.
Main buildings at two secondary schools and a primary school in England, which were all completed relatively recently using a modular, off-site construction method, were told to close with immediate effect, disrupting the start of the new term for many pupils.
A government minister admitted there were issues with the structural integrity of some buildings, prompting fears they would not be able to withstand extreme events, including severe weather or being hit by a vehicle.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats called for an investigation to find out whether other schools could be at risk after it was reported that the contractor responsible for the affected schools was involved in the construction of at least 15 state schools in England.
The company, Caledonian Modular, has since gone into administration and the government is reviewing all Department for Education (DfE) contracts to identify other projects where the company may have been involved. Other departments have also been alerted.
“The Conservatives have bungled management of the schools estate from top to bottom,” said the shadow education secretary, Bridget Phillipson. “How can parents expect their children to receive a first-class education in second-rate buildings?”
Sir Frederick Gibberd college in Harlow, Essex, which opened in 2021 having cost £29m to build, was ordered to close its main building and sports hall on Sunday. Buckton Fields primary school in Northampton, which opened two years ago, was advised not to reopen.
The education minister Nick Gibb told BBC Essex that the DfE had carried out a review that identified problems with the modular design of the schools, which allows buildings to be prefabricated off-site and then assembled quickly. “[The review] identified issues that related to the structural integrity of the buildings, weakening its ability for example to withstand extreme events such as high winds or a big snowfall or indeed a collision from a vehicle.”
Asked if the school buildings could collapse because of extreme weather, such as a winter storm, Gibb said: “That’s the risk and we are not prepared to take any risk with children, or teachers or staff’s lives in a school, and that’s why we intervened very quickly.”
Haygrove school, an academy in Bridgwater, Somerset, has also been told to close its main building, completed in October 2020, after technical investigations. It will be out of bounds “until further notice”.
Two primary schools in Cornwall also built by Caledonian Modular using the same construction process were pulled down this year before completion after the government identified a number of defects.
Caledonian Modular was one of a number of contractors appointed by the DfE as part of a flagship £3bn school building programme. It went into administration in 2022.
The Liberal Democrats’ education spokesperson, Munira Wilson, said: “Parents, staff and pupils at these schools will be horrified at the government’s staggering incompetence. Ministers must apologise to them for putting them in danger, disrupting their start of term and flushing millions of pounds down the drain.”
Labour’s Phillipson added: “The Conservatives clearly can’t be trusted to fix the mess they have made of our school buildings. Ministers must investigate how many more buildings could be affected and make clear how they intend to minimise further disruption to children’s education.”
The government has been under fire for its record on maintaining the school estate because of concerns about the historical use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which deteriorates over time and is susceptible to sudden failure.
Specialists have been carrying out checks on almost 600 schools in England identified as being at possible risk of structural collapse. The presence of RAAC was confirmed in 65 schools after 196 surveys, of which 24 required emergency action.
A DfE spokesperson said: “Nothing is more important than the health and safety of pupils and teachers, which is why we assess school buildings regularly to make sure they meet our high standards.
“Following surveys conducted at our request, we have identified concerns with building work carried out by a specific contractor that is no longer in business. We are working closely with school leaders on temporary measures to safely accommodate pupils and minimise the disruption to their learning.”
