Jessica Hill

Jessica Hill was the first journalist to reveal to the general public how reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was 'a ticking time bomb' making school buildings 'liable to collapse'. She brought the scale of the danger to an even wider audience when she persuaded The Guardian to run a feature, based on conversations with structural engineers, on the likely presence of RAAC across the public estate – including nurseries, shops and leisure centres. The story led to the sudden closure of over 100 schools while the presence of RAAC was investigated. She has won awards for her work, including The Press Awards specialist journalist of the year in 2024. She is now investigations, features and commissioning editor for FE Week, a newspaper covering the further education, skills and training sector.