Did we have unsafe concrete in our schools back in the day?

[George 1978]

Hearing (and reading in the news this week) about the unsafe concrete in schools at the moment, I was thinking about when I was in the system myself and I just cannot remember anything back then about problems with the concrete that held the schools up that I went to. Perhaps back in the 1980s the buildings were 30 to 40 years "younger" than they would be now, hence the concern was not much important back then? If it was the case back then, Keith Joseph, Kenneth Baker or John MacGregor would certainly not go profane a la Gillian Keegan on talk shows in their interviews about the subject. Did it really happen, or perhaps I was too young to take any notice back then?

The asbestos debacle has always been around - a lot of old schools seem to have it, and caretakers seem to be aware of it, and even my old house had asbestos in the loft. It is ironic however that these establishments that should be made safe for youngsters, are not.

To be honest, if the concrete situation had been around when I was at school, I could have made one of my reasons for my school refusal being: "for Health and Safety reasons, due to the unsafe concrete"; in the same way that I would mention being bullied as a Health and Safety situation. After all, as early as 1987, local councils had replaced concrete in children's playgrounds with woodchips or rubber surfaces, so that any fall off of swings and slides were more cushioned.

[beccabear67]

I remember there was asbestos in our schools but it wasn't until later it started making news and removals began. One of my schools was built on what had been an airfield and the gymnasium had been one of the hangar buildings originally, so at least that part went back to the 1920s, other parts had older brick buildings but all the ones I went to were post WWII (even if some of the teachers weren't, ha)... except summer school once I had to go to the huge tall old brick high school which had a large memorial to students lost in both world wars in the foyer (and my mother worked in the cafeteria there not long after via a custodian friend at the same school, I never did go as a regular student but my older brother did).

No, I don't remember chunks falling off any parts of schools I went to.

[Richard1978]

I remember at the place my Mum worked at had asbestos in the walls. It was built as a school but later became a specialist facility in the area for schools in the area to use.

[darren]

I cant remember having bad concrete in our schools but thats going back just ovwer 3 decades.

Although in that time some of our schools had been renovated.

Althou the last thing i was thinking about was bad concrete i was more worried our schools werent bombed during the troubles.

[Richard1978]

I remember Grange Hill did a storyline in the early 1990s about part of the school being usable after a ceiling collapsed in a corridor. I remember someone reckoned it was due to Roland walking on the floor above too much! A smart in-joke for long term viewers as he had left a few years before!

[Hair Bear]

Camden School for Girls had a new hall built in the mid 1950s which collapsed in 1973 but no mention of the cause.

[George 1978]

I remember Grange Hill did a storyline in the early 1990s about part of the school being usable after a ceiling collapsed in a corridor. I remember someone reckoned it was due to Roland walking on the floor above too much! A smart in-joke for long term viewers as he had left a few years before!

It was Series 12 in 1989, and another forum has mentioned it recently. Cue pupils walking around it as if it was Rush Hour on the roads.

McClusky trying to become a set of traffic lights: "Mr Bronson is taking over", handing over to the de-wigged [sic] soon-to retire Deputy Head.

[Richard1978]

It was Series 12 in 1989, and another forum has mentioned it recently. Cue pupils walking around it as if it was Rush Hour on the roads.

McClusky trying to become a set of traffic lights: "Mr Bronson is taking over", handing over to the de-wigged [sic] soon-to retire Deputy Head.

Thanks I didn't realise it was when Mr Bronson was still in it! I remember Mr Robson commenting that cracks in the plaster had literally been painted over rather than repaired properly.

[darren]

Well i recently found that one or 2 skools have it her.

But its not t common here it seems.

[Moonraker]

I went to a school that was built in the 1880s. Very secure and made to last.