A college for students with special educational needs is pleading with the government for exceptional financial support after dangerous RAAC concrete forced it to evacuate its learning space.
Royal College Manchester, an independent specialist college based in Cheshire that teaches students with severe and profound learning difficulties, had to close its biggest building after it found reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) this month.
However, its independent status means it is not entitled to government funding for RAAC-related work, as schools and general FE colleges are.
Clare Howard, chief executive of Natspec, which represents specialist colleges across England, accused the DfE of “treating students who are more vulnerable in a way that leaves them unprotected, when they wouldn’t do that with mainstream students”.
