Nearly 300 Suffolk school buildings 'exhibiting major defects'
New data reveals nearly 300 schools in Suffolk have at least one building in need of repair of replacement. - Credit: Hongqi Zhang
New data reveals nearly 300 schools in Suffolk have at least one building that needs repairing or replacing.
According to the latest Condition Data Collection (CDC) statistics, 292 Suffolk schools had at least one building given a 'C' rating, meaning they are 'exhibiting major defects' or 'not operating as intended'.
More than 3,500 individual building components, such as roofs, windows, doors, electrics and light fittings, were deemed "poor" or "bad" by surveyors.
This news comes after it was revealed that 90 schools in the county were given a 'D' rating for at least one building on their premises in June.
A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said: "This is not unique to Suffolk, with data showing that 9 out of 10 schools in England require repairs or replacements to be made to at least one part of their building.
"It is also important to note that these statistics relate to individual building components which can be minor in a number of cases.
"We accept the findings of the Department for Education's report, which in conjunction with our own regular checks and surveys of school buildings, has identified where remedial works are necessary.
"These repairs are made on a priority basis to ensure that we can continue to provide the best possible learning environment for staff and pupils in Suffolk."
Last month it was revealed that Ormiston Academy in Sudbury would be the first Suffolk school to benefit from the government's rebuilding programme.
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It is one of 161 projects in the programme, set to expand to a total of 300 by the end of 2023.
Jack Abbott, former Labour education spokesman at Suffolk County Council, said: "If you want to judge the record of the Conservatives after more than a decade in power, you don't need to look much further than our crumbling schools.
"The neglect of schools in Ipswich and across Suffolk means that many pupils and staff are having to contend with inadequate and unsafe learning environments. It is an absolute scandal."
