Ministers have given an 鈥渁ssurance鈥 that academy trusts and councils deemed by the government not to have filled in their RAAC questionnaire 鈥渨ill not be named publicly鈥, a sector leader has said in correspondence seen by Schools Week. The government has also agreed to 鈥渟eek expert advice鈥 about 鈥済rave concern鈥 that visual inspections of schools may not be 鈥渟ufficient in relation to concealed RAAC鈥. Schools Week reported earlier this week that the accuracy of the government鈥檚 RAAC school data has been thrown into doubt after responsible bodies were wrongly told they had failed to complete surveys for the dangerous material. Baroness Barran gave assurance that responsible bodies will not be named publicly. I have asked for this assurance in writing The questionnaire 鈥 and the supposed failure of around 5 per cent of schools to complete it since it launched last March 鈥 has become a central plank to the government鈥檚 defence of its handling of the crumbly concrete crisis. Education secretary Gillian Keegan told schools to 鈥済et off their backside鈥 and fill it in. Ministers even warned in a letter earlier this week that the DfE is 鈥渓ikely to be required to publish information about schools which have RAAC, schools which do not, and schools where there is still uncertainty鈥. One leader called the suggestion of naming and shaming such schools as 鈥渢hreatening鈥. Minister ‘offered unreserved apology’ It has since emerged some trusts have been unable to provide updated information about the presence of RAAC on their sites, while another had to tell the government it was missing from the official list, despite having the building material. School leaders have also said there is a lag of 48 hours of uploading RAAC data and this then feeding into DfE lists. On Wednesday, more than 400 members of the Confederation of School Trusts received a virtual briefing from Baroness Barran, the DfE minister leading on the response to the RAAC crisis. In a briefing to members after the meeting, seen by Schools Week, chief executive Leora Cruddas said a 鈥渟ignificant number of CST members reported concerns about the RAAC portal鈥. 鈥淲hat has emerged is that many or most of you had already done so 鈥 for a number of you, multiple times. The minister offered an unreserved apology for the tone of the letter and the fact that it appears to have been sent in error to many CST members.鈥 But she said Barran 鈥済ave assurance that responsible bodies will not be named publicly. I have asked for this assurance in writing.鈥 Unease over government guidance The government escalated its RAAC policy last week 鈥 meaning all school buildings with the material must now close, rather than just those deemed 鈥渉igh risk鈥. The increased risk around RAAC has prompted concerns from the sector about the reliability of government advice. Cruddas said 鈥渕any CST members have expressed grave concern about the reliability of the DfE guidance and are questioning whether they can rely on it鈥. Leora Cruddas 鈥淎lthough I have been told by officials that there is a 鈥榯riage鈥 and that visual inspection is not the only indicator of RAAC, we heard 鈥 from members that they do not believe that this is sufficient in relation to concealed RAAC, which requires an invasive survey.鈥 Previous DfE guidance encouraged an initial 鈥渧isual inspection鈥 by 鈥渟omeone who has responsibility for building or estate management as well as the day-to-day running of the school鈥. But 鈥渄epending on experience, advice may be required from a building professional鈥. However it was only once RAAC was 鈥渟uspected or identified鈥 that schools were recommended to appoint a specialist structural engineering consultant, and only at stage four of the process was an 鈥渋ntrusive鈥 investigation recommended. Updated guidance last week 鈥 when the government escalated its response 鈥 also recommends an initial visual inspection, but states that if responsible bodies were still 鈥渦nsure鈥 after that process, they should appoint an expert. Cruddas said Barran had 鈥渙ffered to take this issue away and seek expert advice. I have asked for the DfE鈥檚 assessment or risk and reassurance on this matter as soon as possible鈥. As Barran also offered an 鈥渦nreserved apology鈥 for the tone of her email earlier this week urging responsible bodies to complete the questionnaire.