Crumble-risk concrete is latest upheaval to hit England’s schools

After years of squeezed funding, teachers are furious at government's shocking neglect' of buildings

• Thousands of pupils may have to start term online as over 100 schools affected by crumble-risk concrete

Pencils are sharpened, shirts are ironed - but classrooms are at risk of sudden collapse. This is the reality of the start of the 2023-24 academic year for more than 100 schools, further education colleges and nurseries in England where potentially unsafe reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has been discovered.

After more than a year of extremely disruptive remote learning during the pandemic, yet more upheaval looms next week. A picture of the potential chaos is clear from Department for Education (DfE) guidance documents hurriedly published on Thursday just days before the back-to-school rush.