Two more North East schools in Easington have been confirmed to have crumbling concrete in their premises.

This comes as more than 100 schools across England are being warned to vacate dangerous buildings.

The Department of Education announced yesterday that properties seriously affected will have to be vacated.

Both St Bede's Catholic School and Byon Sixth Form Peterlee have been confirmed to be affected by RAAC.

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Grahame Morris, MP for Easington, described how 'unacceptable' the situation has been handled announcing the problem days before schools re-open.

He said: "The timing couldn't be worse, with this debacle unfolding just days before the start of the term. It's a stark reminder of the chaos and mismanagement plaguing this government. 

"Ministers have failed to be open and honest. It is unacceptable for the Education Secretary to tell parents, if you don't hear anything, don't worry. Parents deserve assurance that our children's schools are safe and secure. 

"The government should have promptly released the list of affected schools, instead of leaving parents in limbo. I have been told that St Bede's Catholic School and Byon Sixth Form Peterlee are the only school buildings affected in the Easington constituency. 

"I have contacted the school to offer my support and will provide updates as and when I receive them. 

"The schools grappling with this crisis deserve unwavering support from Ministers, with immediate funding to meet any additional costs. Our children's education should not bear the brunt of government incompetence and neglect.  

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"Our children, parents and teachers are being let down by a level of ineptitude at the top of government that would not be acceptable in any other walk of life." 

RAAC has been used in construction from the 1950s to the mid-1990s.

It has been found to be prone to failure. Back in 2018 the roof of a Kent primary school collapsed and RAAC was later found to be to blame.

Brendan Tapping, CEO of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, said: "The Department for Education (DfE) has recently changed its guidance to education settings on the management of RAAC to take a more precautionary approach and as a result areas with RAAC will be vacated until safety mitigations are put in place.

"Three of our Trust schools are affected, and we have notified parents. The schools are St. James Catholic Primary School, Hebburn, St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Sunderland and St. Bede and Byron Catholic School and Sixth Form, Peterlee.

"The education and safety of our pupils remains paramount, and we are currently working with headteachers to finalise alternative arrangements and are looking to make provision for all pupils.

"We are committed to continuing to educate pupils face-to-face or make virtual provision where this is not possible. We would like to thank our pupils, parents and staff for their understanding and patience."