Schools in Scotland containing potentially dangerous RAAC concrete named

At least thirty schools in Scotland found to contain a potentially dangerous concrete have been named by councils.

Figures from 14 local authorities in Scotland showed at least 33 schools across the country have been found to have the potentially dangerous material, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Five councils were yet to respond to requests for figures including Scotland’s largest, Glasgow City Council.

City of Edinburgh Council currently has the highest number of schools with RAAC and said eight across the local authority included the material.

Trinity Primary School and Cramond Primary School have temporary accommodation blocks set up, a council spokesperson said while other pupils are still in their own classrooms.

Number of schools with RAAC

City of Edinburgh Council – 8 schools
Aberdeen City Council – 7 schools
West Lothian council – 5 schools
Dundee City Council – 2 schools
Aberdeenshire Council – 2 schools
Highland and Islands Council – 2 schools
Moray Council – 1 school
Argyll and Bute Council – 1 school
East Lothian Council – 1 school
Perth and Kinross Council – 1 school
Inverclyde Council – 1 school

Aberdeen City Council has seven schools with the material.

West Lothian Council said RAAC was present in five schools – St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn, Balbardie Primary School and Windyknowe Primary in Bathgate and Riverside Primary and Knightsridge Primary in Livingston.

A spokesperson said all areas with the material in its roofs had been closed with pupils and staff relocated to other areas.

Meanwhile, Dundee, Aberdeenshire and Highland Council each said RAAC had been found in two of its schools.

Moray, Inverclyde, Perth and Kinross, North Lanarkshire and Argyll and Bute Council all reported one school each with RAAC in their local authority areas.

Perth and Kinross Council said that RAAC was found in one property, Perth Grammar School, in February this year.

The affected area was closed to pupils and staff until the panels could be removed over the summer holidays and replaced with a steel profile roof.

A spokesperson for Moray Council said designs for mitigation works at Forres had been completed and a contractor had been selected to carry out the works shortly.

Stirling Council said no buildings were identified as containing the material in a desktop survey but a full inspection programme of all its educational properties would be carried out.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Council said it had also undertaken a desktop study and was confident RAAC had not been used in any of its school estate.

A spokesperson said to provide 100% certainty, however, further surveys would be carried out over the coming months at schools and other buildings constructed within the stated timescale of use.

East Dunbartonshire said no schools had been identified as containing RAAC to date but further investigations had been ordered to confirm the position across the estate.

Councils said no schools were impacted in Fife, Angus, the Orkney Islands, Renfrewshire or East Renfrewshire.

Scottish social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said 37 schools were affected and that ministers had known since last year.

She said: “This has of course been an issue that the government has been aware of for some time, and that’s why action has been taken, and has been for some time, for example way back in July 2022 Scottish Government officials made contact with the Scottish heads of Property Services and directors of education in Scotland to share information on RAAC.

“I can completely appreciate why there is public concern on this, particularly given the way that announcements have been handled down in England.

“But I can reassure the member that we appreciate that public concern means we need to be as open as possible, as we can be, for this because parents and staff are concerned about this issue.”

The schools where RAAC have been found by council area are:

Perth and Kinross – Perth Grammar School

West Lothian Council – St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn, Balbardie Primary School, Windyknowe Primary in Bathgate, Riverside Primary and Knightsridge Primary in Livingston.

Highland Council – Charleston Academy, Nairn Academy.

Moray – Forres Academy .

Inverclyde Council – one school which has not been named

Aberdeenshire Council – Mackie Academy, Westhill Academy

North Lanarkshire Council – one school which has not been named

East Lothian Council – parts of Preston Lodge High School, Prestonpans

Argyll and Bute Council – John Logie Baird Primary School in Helensburgh

Aberdeen – Abbotswell Primary, Cornhill Primary, Hazlehead Academy, Northfield Academy, Quarryhill Primary School, St Machar Academy, Westpark School

Edinburgh – Pentland Primary School, Fox Covert Primary School and St Andrews Fox Covert RC PS (one site), Colinton Primary School, Currie High School and Lorne Primary School, Cramond Primary School and Trinity Primary School.

Dundee – Ardler Primary School and St Fergus Primary School

North Ayrshire Council – Ardrossan Academy