More schools could be told to close classrooms over collapse-risk concrete

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mr Gibb insisted “we took the decision as soon as the evidence emerged” as ministers faced anger for telling schools of the closures only days before children start the autumn term. “If in the worst-case scenario a school does have to close and we put Portakabins into the grounds, all that cost will be covered by the department.” On Thursday, the DfE said it had contacted the 104 more schools after 52 of the 156 educational settings containing the concrete took protective steps so far this year. It is absolutely disgraceful, and a sign of gross Government incompetence, that a few days before the start of term 104 schools are finding out that some or all of their buildings are unsafe and cannot be used Daniel Kebede, National Education Union Mr Gibb insisted schools were contacting affected families and told Today “we will publish a list”, but only once they are in a “stable place”. National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede said: “It is absolutely disgraceful, and a sign of gross Government incompetence, that a few days before the start of term 104 schools are finding out that some or all of their buildings are unsafe and cannot be used.” The possible presence of the concrete was being assessed in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, where education is devolved.