Parents and pupils are facing an anxious wait to see if the new school term will start as planned, as last-minute checks are carried out to see if Norfolk's classrooms are at risk of collapse.
One primary has already confirmed it will not be opening as expected this week, while several academies in the county are yet to confirm whether they will have to remain closed, with some awaiting further test results.
The confusion comes after the government released new guidance on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), a lightweight material that was used mostly in flat roofing, but also in floors and walls, between the 1950s and 1990s.
RAAC was installed because it is cheaper and quicker to produce than standard concrete, but is also less durable, with a lifespan of around 30 years, after which there is a risk of it crumbling and structures collapsing.
Thomas Bullock Primary in Shipdham was the first school in Norfolk to announce it would not be opening as planned today, after RAAC was found in the school hall roof. It will open a day later and the hall will not be used.
The same body that oversees Thomas Bullock, the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust (DNEAT), has announced it is also checking one other school building it owns for the material.
Surveys have confirmed the trust’s 37 other schools do not have RAAC.
Across England and Wales more than 100 schools have had to fully or partly close due to fears they could suddenly collapse. And hundreds more could be affected.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak said 5pc of the country’s 22,000 schools may have RAAC - around 1,100 buildings. Emergency procedures are currently in place in 104 schools.
There are around 500 schools in Norfolk, if 5pc are affected 25 would have the offending concrete.
Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for children’s services at Norfolk Council Council, told a meeting on Monday that she recognised and shared parents' and teachers’ concerns about RAAC and that the authority was still waiting to hear from a number of schools.
She said: “On Friday, we were contacted by the Thomas Bullock school in Shipdham, where RAAC was found in the school hall. The start of term has been delayed by a day to enable checks to take place.
“We are awaiting further results from a number of other academy schools and the schools will inform parents and staff if any issues are found.
"We are, as always, ready to assist.”
Ms Carpenter said the council was first made aware of the issue in 2018 and structural engineers carried out surveys of 83 buildings and “found no concerns”.
However, most Norfolk schools are not controlled by County Hall but by trusts, like DNEAT, which are responsible for their own buildings.
The cabinet member encouraged parents to contact their children's schools if they have concerns.
NCC has contacted the trusts three times since 2018 to flag up the issue.
Oliver Burwood, chief executive officer of DNEAT, said they were “proactively checking” schools for RAAC.
Other than Thomas Bullock, Mr Burwood said two other schools had initially raised concerns but one has already been eliminated as a risk.
The other school, which has not been named, will be examined today, with no children present.
Speaking on BBC Radio Norfolk, he said: “If any RAAC is found we will be taking action. as we have done at Thomas Bullock.
"It is imperative that with this issue, which has risen up the critical list, we are not complacent, and we proactively check, double check, and where we are not sure, commission something specifically looking for this in schools.”
Several of the largest trusts in the county, including Broad Horizons (which covers 19 schools), Inspiration (17 schools) and Sapientia (16) all confirmed they did not have RAAC.
What's going on nationally?
On Monday, Labour hit out at the PM, accusing him of cutting back on the number of schools being rebuilt across the country while he was chancellor.
Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, accused the PM of putting "children directly at risk” because of the move.
Former civil servant Jonathan Slater, who was permanent secretary of the Department for Education from 2016 to 2020, said around 300 to 400 schools needed to be refurbished per year but he was given funding for 100. This was later halved to 50.
Mr Sunak has said it is "completely wrong" to blame him and the building project was "completely in line with what we have always done".
Also on Monday the government's education secretary, Gillian Keegan, was forced to apologise after being caught on camera swearing about not being thanked for doing a "good job".
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