Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
7th Report - Foundations of Learning: replacing RAAC and securing school buildings
Education Committee
HC 1399
Published 11 February 2026
Conclusions (6)
1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Taken together, the RAAC emergency represents more than an isolated safety risk, it is symptomatic of a chronic capital investment deficit. Restoring resilience to the school estate requires sustained, strategic investment, a clear commitment to long-term infrastructure renewal and recognition that the quality of physical environments is an essential pillar …
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to their wider programme of work.
2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The removal and remediation of RAAC from school buildings has been essential to safeguarding pupils and staff. We recognise the significant progress made by the Government and the Department for Education in identifying affected sites, implementing emergency measures, and committing resources to address this challenge. These efforts have prevented greater …
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to their wider programme of work.
3
Conclusion
Acknowledged
However, the process has not been without cost. For school leaders, teachers, and above all pupils, the experience has been stressful and has affected learning and well-being. In those schools where RAAC remains an ongoing issue, temporary solutions cannot substitute for permanent fixes. (Conclusion, Paragraph 32)
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to their wider programme of work.
4
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We welcome the Government’s pledge that, by the end of this Parliament, every school building containing RAAC will either have had it removed or be in the process of a rebuild. This is an ambitious and necessary commitment. We will continue to monitor progress closely to ensure that this promise …
Government Response Summary
The Government welcomes the Education Committee’s Seventh Report and thanks the Committee for its thorough examination of RAAC in schools and for the broader consideration of the condition, management and long- term resilience of the education estate.
5
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We recognise the substantial efforts undertaken since 2023 to safeguard pupils and staff, and to restore continuity of learning in settings affected by RAAC. The Department has improved guidance, begun to professionalise 18 estate capability, strengthened resilience arrangements, and committed to greater transparency through the development of a live digital …
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to their wider programme of work.
8
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The RAAC crisis highlighted a deeper, systemic issue: the ageing and fragile condition of England’s school estate. RAAC is not the only issue of concern within the wider school estate. While we welcome the Government’s commitment to publish a long-term strategy and its recent steps to improve standards and oversight, …
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the Education Committee's report and states that the committee's findings contribute meaningfully to the Education Estates Strategy, backed by a 10-year plan for a decade of national renewal to transform schools and colleges in England.