Raac school will be demolished and rebuilt

A plan to demolish and rebuild a school after it was found to be built of concrete prone to collapse has been unanimously approved by councillors.

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found at St Francis Catholic Primary School in Ascot in 2023 and temporary classrooms, including marquees, were used there for pupils.

The Department for Education (DfE) proposed knocking down and replacing the school, which it said had "reached the end of its operational life".

The project was unanimously approved by Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead's (RBWM) Windsor and Ascot Development management committee on Thursday.

During construction, a single-storey temporary school will be built on the school's playing field and will be used for two years. Its current alternative classrooms will also be retained.

The new school building could be finished in time for the start of the school year in September 2027.

It would offer "modern and inclusive" teaching spaces, RBWM's planning documents state.

The school currently has capacity for 210 children, which will remain the same once the scheme is finished.