Schools in Scotland containing crumbling concrete named

Almost 40 schools in Scotland found to contain a potentially dangerous concrete have been named by councils.

Figures shared with the PA news agency from local authorities in Scotland show at least 38 schools across the country have been found to have the potentially dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

Some councils are yet to respond to requests for figures.

City of Edinburgh Council currently has the highest number of schools with Raac, with eight across the local authority area including the material.

Trinity Primary School and Cramond Primary School have temporary accommodation blocks set up, a council spokesperson said while other pupils are still in their own classrooms.

Aberdeen City Council has seven schools with the material.

West Lothian Council said Raac was present in five schools – St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn, Balbardie Primary School and Windyknowe Primary in Bathgate and Riverside Primary and Knightsridge Primary in Livingston.

A spokesperson said all areas with the material in its roofs had been closed with pupils and staff relocated to other areas.

Dumfries and Galloway Council identified four schools containing the material and said that remedial work will be carried out.

Meanwhile, Dundee, Aberdeenshire and Highland councils each said Raac had been found in two of its schools.

Moray, Inverclyde, Perth and Kinross, North Lanarkshire, Glasgow, and Argyll and Bute councils all reported one school each with Raac in their local authority areas.

Perth and Kinross Council said Raac was found in one property, Perth Grammar School, in February this year.

The affected area was closed to pupils and staff until the panels could be removed over the summer holidays and replaced with a steel profile roof.

A spokesperson for Moray Council said designs for mitigation works at Forres had been completed and a contractor had been selected to carry out the works shortly.

Glasgow City Council said Raac was identified at Whitehill Secondary in 2021 and remedial work has been carried out.

Stirling Council said no buildings were identified as containing the material in a desktop survey but a full inspection programme of all its educational properties would be carried out.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Council said it had also undertaken a desktop study and was confident Raac had not been used in any of its school estate.

A spokesperson said to provide 100% certainty, however, further surveys would be carried out over the coming months at schools and other buildings constructed within the stated timescale of use.

East Dunbartonshire said no schools had been identified as containing Raac to date but further investigations had been ordered to confirm the position across the estate.

Councils said no schools were impacted in Fife, Angus, the Orkney Islands, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and Shetland.

Scottish Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said 37 schools are affected and ministers had known since last year.

She said: “This has of course been an issue that the Government has been aware of for some time, and that’s why action has been taken, and has been for some time, for example way back in July 2022 Scottish Government officials made contact with the Scottish heads of Property Services and directors of education in Scotland to share information on Raac.

“I can completely appreciate why there is public concern on this, particularly given the way that announcements have been handled down in England.

“But I can reassure the member that we appreciate that public concern means we need to be as open as possible, as we can be, for this because parents and staff are concerned about this issue.”

The schools where Raac have been found by council area are:

Perth and Kinross – Perth Grammar School.

West Lothian Council – St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn, Balbardie Primary School, Windyknowe Primary in Bathgate, Riverside Primary and Knightsridge Primary in Livingston.

Highland Council – Charleston Academy, Nairn Academy.

Moray – Forres Academy.

Inverclyde Council – one school which has not been named.

Aberdeenshire Council – Mackie Academy, Westhill Academy.

North Lanarkshire Council – one school which has not been named.

East Lothian Council – parts of Preston Lodge High School, Prestonpans.

Argyll and Bute Council – John Logie Baird Primary School in Helensburgh.

Aberdeen – Abbotswell Primary, Cornhill Primary, Hazlehead Academy, Northfield Academy, Quarryhill Primary School, St Machar Academy, Westpark School.

Edinburgh – Pentland Primary School, Fox Covert Primary School and St Andrews Fox Covert RC PS (one site), Colinton Primary School, Currie High School and Lorne Primary School, Cramond Primary School and Trinity Primary School.

Dundee – Ardler Primary School and St Fergus Primary School.

North Ayrshire Council – Ardrossan Academy.

Glasgow – Whitehill Secondary.

Dumfries and Galloway – Laurieknowe Primary School in Dumfries, Carrutherstown Primary School in Nithsdale, Dumfries Academy in Dumfries and Gatehouse Primary School in Gatehouse of Fleet.