English schools told to close buildings made with crumble-risk concrete

A week before start of term, DfE says buildings should be taken out of use regardless of assessed risk

The government has told schools in England to immediately shut buildings made with aerated concrete until safety work is undertaken, the Guardian understands, in a move threatening plans to reopen next week for the start of the new school year.

In an escalation of the schools building safety crisis, the Department of Education has issued new advice - believed to have happened as recently as Thursday - stating that regardless of the assessed risk of a building made using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) blocks, such buildings should be taken out of use and mitigations should be implemented immediately".