Colyton Grammar has been confirmed among the schools with collapse-risk concrete in some of their buildings.

An updated list has been published today (Tuesday, September 19) by the Department for Education, adding a further 27 schools to the 147 already known to have RAAC on site.

A spokesperson for Colyton Grammar School said: "We can confirm the existence of RAAC in a small part of our estate, and the affected areas are now closed. We are working with the DfE and related experts to mitigate the issue and to minimise the impact on students' learning.”

RAAC, or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, was used as a cheaper alternative to standard concrete in the construction of public buildings between the 1950s and mid-1990s. It was only given a safe lifespan of around 30 years. In the 1990s structural safety issues began to emerge and its use was phased out.

Following the release of the updated list of affected schools, the Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “We are taking a cautious approach so every parent in England can be reassured their child is safe in their school.

“School and local leaders deserve huge credit for making sure the vast majority of settings with confirmed RAAC are continuing to offer pupils face-to-face learning – including all of the 147 schools initially identified two weeks ago.

“We will continue to work closely with affected schools and provide both expert and financial support to minimise disruption and keep staff and children safe.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union the NAHT, said: “The 27 schools additionally identified today will all be working tirelessly to make sure children get the education they deserve despite the disruption.

“But we still need a real sense of a clear plan not just to put short-term mitigation measures in place, but to properly repair or replace buildings so they are fit for purpose.

“Propping up ceilings with metal poles is clearly not a serious option in the medium or long term.”

He added: “This situation has been brought about by years of neglect and underinvestment in the school estate.

“Too many schools have been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair and the current crisis is just one symptom of a problem that has been long in the making.”