A girls' school has been undergoing repair works to try and resolve issues with crumbling concrete.

At the end of June this year it was recommended that Hornsey School for Girls in Inderwick Road, Crouch End, should undertake repair works to the roof of two blocks.

It followed an inspection of the reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) ceiling of the school’s teaching block.

RAAC, lighter and less durable than traditional concrete, was used until the mid-1990s but the Health and Safety Executive said it is now beyond its lifespan and may collapse with little or no notice.

Discovery of the concrete during improvement works last week forced the closure of Harrow Crown Court.

At the end of July, Haringey Council noted that the classrooms would need to be ready by September 12.

The authority confirmed today (September 1) that the work has nearly been completed.

It comes in a week in which more than a hundred schools and colleges in England were told to close buildings made with the same type of concrete due to the risk that it might collapse.

In a letter from the school dated July 21, parents were told that there would be a staggered start to the school term to allow the completion of the works.

This means that although some students will return to school next week, not all year groups will be back until September 12 - eight days after term is supposed to start.

In its July letter to parents, Hornsey School for Girls said: “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and frustration this may cause your children, you and your family.

“We know this sort of disruption can cause issues and have only had a very short time frame in which to share the news with you.”

Haringey Liberal Democrats councillor Marsha Isilar-Gosling said: “Parents and children should have the peace of mind of knowing that schools are a safe place, and the government needs to act quickly and transparently to fix these issues.”

Haringey Council’s cabinet member for children, schools and families, Cllr Zena Brabazon, said: “We are extremely disappointed and frustrated with the timing of the government’s announcement, just three days before the start of the 2023-24 academic year.

“However, here in Haringey, we have been very proactive and actively involved in tackling the issue head-on for some months.

“The safety of our students has been – and will always be – our number one priority and that is why we carried out borough-wide surveys to identify any concerns back in February."

“We have been working closely with the senior leadership teams of our affected schools since that time to minimise any prospective disruption to their teaching and learning on-site.

“We are ahead of the curve in relation to this matter and have already put funding in place for the works to be carried out. We also have temporary and revised accommodation ready for the start of the new term.

“I’m pleased to report that none of our affected schools will be closing as a result of the government’s announcement yesterday and they can rely on our continued support as we look to rectify this issue swiftly and successfully in the future.”

Hornsey School for Girls has been approached for more information about the works.