Labour has urged the Government to roll out exam mitigations for students stuck in limbo as a result of the crumbling concrete crisis facing schools.
Mary Foy, the Labour MP for the City of Durham, called on ministers to draw up a “one-off dispensation for the pupils in Years 11 and 13” in schools affected by the reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) crisis.
In total, 214 schools across England have been identified as containing unsafe RAAC so far, with the number expected to rise as further surveys are conducted.
RAAC is a lightweight concrete which was commonly used in construction between the 1950s and mid-1990s, but is now decaying and has been deemed dangerously unsafe.
The Government’s last-minute decision to close classrooms containing RAAC in September meant thousands of children were forced to return to remote learning, with many still being taught at home for some days each week even now.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Ms Foy said pupils at St Leonard’s Catholic School in her Durham constituency are still experiencing disruption 11 weeks later, with some being taught in “a noisy sports hall” and others crammed into classrooms of up to 60 children.
“For pupils in Year 11 and the sixth-form students in Year 13, this is an extremely important year – a crucial year for GCSEs and A-Levels respectively,” Ms Foy said.
“So far, the Government has offered no dispensation for those pupils… I implore you to change this.”
