Labour MPs urge the new government to reverse years of underfunding that has led to the Raac crisis and left many school buildings unusable

Over the past year the crisis caused by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) has fully come to light, with more than 200 schools having to fully or partially close. The damage caused by a decade of underfunding has been exposed. As the prime minister told the Guardian this month: “If schools are crumbling over our children’s heads, how can we expect them to learn the skills they need?”

A year later and little action has been taken – with Raac just the tip of the iceberg. Schools are still suffering from poor infrastructure, whether that be leaking ceilings, broken heating or mould. The ramifications of enduring these conditions are serious: from asthma and poor air quality to absenteeism and mental health issues. Students returned last month to schools where they will be distracted from their studies, facing a winter of learning in “temporary” classrooms with their coats and gloves on.