Ministers prioritised new free schools over pupil safety and prime minister Rishi Sunak slashed school rebuilding funding despite knowing about the dangers of “crumbly” RAAC concrete, the Department for Education’s former permanent secretary has said.
In an explosive intervention this morning, Jonathan Slater squarely placed the blame for the school building crisis at the feet of the current PM.
The Department for Education last week ordered 104 schools with RAAC to shut just days before the start of the new term.
It is understood officials learned over the summer of cases where buildings with RAAC– reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete – collapsed, despite not showing any signs of deterioration.
