At least 39 state schools in England have been forced to close either partially or entirely in the last three years because one or more buildings have been deemed unsafe, the government has confirmed.
In three cases, concerns about building safety were so extensive that the entire school site had to be closed down permanently, with pupils moved off-site to alternative accommodation.
Five schools had one or more unsafe buildings closed down on a permanent basis, while ministers confirmed that of 31 schools affected temporarily, 23 schools suffered the disruption of full-site closures and eight had partial closures.
The government said the closures since December 2019 were due to a range of reasons, including structural concerns and general condition issues, such as roofing and boiler failures.
“Where schools have closed, pupils have been relocated to existing spaces available on the school site or into alternative accommodation until a long-term solution is in place.”
