Safety of school buildings

RAAC in school buildings  

Following years of capital funding cuts by the Conservative government, we are facing an unfolding crisis in school buildings safety.

The consequences of the previous government’s persistent under-investment in schools became clear in August 2023, when the Department for Education ordered the closure of over a hundred schools, colleges and nurseries in England just days before the start of the autumn term.  

This was due to these buildings being constructed of a type of concrete that is prone to collapse, known as reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) – which was eventually identified in 234 schools in England. These sites have now reopened with mitigation plans in place, and the Government has pledged the complete removal of RAAC by 2029.

Structural problems

The National Audit Office (NAO) reported in June 2023 that following years of under-investment, an astonishing 700,000 pupils are learning in a school that needs major rebuilding or refurbishment. In addition to RAAC, the report cited system-built school buildings and asbestos as structural issues causing potential safety risks.

A 2024 investigation by BBC’s Panorama exposed further issues, from leaking roofs and freezing classrooms to flooding and potentially explosive sewerage gas.

Even before the RAAC crisis hit the headlines, UNISON had been lobbying the government for many months to take action on school building safety and to publish information about at-risk properties.  

In February 2026, the Government published their Education Estates Strategy, a ten year plan to improve the education estate. This includes investment in rebuilding schools, plus a renewal and retrofit programme. The strategy also lays out plans to future-proof new buildings against climate change and improve indoor air quality.

What can I do?

We have developed a set of questions for members to ask your school leadership to seek assurances about the safety of your workplace:

• Are there any building or safety issues that we need to know about?
• Do we have Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in any of our school buildings, and have we told the Department for Education (DfE)?
• If there is RAAC in our school buildings, can you tell me where this is, how this is being safely managed and how I should report any concerns?
• Did our school respond to the DfE asbestos survey and do we have any in our buildings?
• If there is asbestos in our school buildings, can you tell me where this is, how this is being safely managed, what plans you have to remove it, and how I should report any concerns?

If you have any concerns about responses to these questions, please contact your local UNISON Health and Safety representative or branch.

Ventilation

Inside the classroom, both staff and pupils face further risks from airborne viruses and other conditions linked to poor air quality. The importance of proper ventilation was highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic and remains a key health and safety concern.

UNISON welcomes London mayor Sadiq Khan’s programme to install air filters in 200 London schools to combat air pollution in the capital, and we are calling for air filters to be installed in all classrooms across the UK.

There has been a media spotlight on school absence levels in recent months with data showing a concerning level of pupil absence. While there are many factors contributing to increased pupil absence, authorised illness remains the number one reason that children are missing school. Early in 2024, the Department for Education launched a campaign of stronger measures to tackle persistent absence, but UNISON believes that there needs to be a stronger emphasis on improving pupil health; and this starts with improving air quality in classrooms.

The benefits of air filtration have been demonstrated by a government-funded study which placed air cleaning technologies in 30 schools in Bradford. The study saw a significant decrease in sickness absence rates in those schools with HEPA air filters in place. With the recent spotlight on school absence levels, there is a clear justification for making air filtration in schools a priority.

Of course, clean air doesn’t only benefit pupils. All school staff will share the advantages brought by reduced exposure to airborne viruses and pollutants. This in turn will lead to less sickness absence among staff, with a knock-on effect on huge issues for UNISON members in schools such as lesson cover, stress and workload. 

Legal disclaimer 

The information contained within this article is not a complete or final statement of the law and is based on the laws of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

While UNISON has sought to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date, it is not responsible and will not be held liable for any inaccuracies and their consequences, including any loss arising from relying on this information. If you are a UNISON member with a legal problem, please contact your branch or region as soon as possible for advice, or for non-employment matters call UNISONdirect.