AIBU to think school closures ignore parents' work commitments?

yes fair enough - I can imagine it's hard for the kids and the staff to be productive in some buildings.

Loads of state schools are also staying open so it's not just your lovely little prep school. Different buildings behave differently in hot weather, some are fine some are dangerously hot.

What needs to happen is the country needs to start adapting. Schools (and many other buildings) NEED air con as standard!

It hasn't reached 35 degrees this last couple of days and yet learning has largely ground to a halt in my school by 11.

So many learning hours are lost to heat in inadequate classrooms, it should be a scandal. I think people are only starting to talk about it now because schools are actually having to close.

Agree op. I am happy for the schools to close but I resent the implication that means I can do some complex project with the children. I'll be juggling childcare with working from home

School is for the well being and education of children. You assume they will always be able to go in when you get a job but that’s not always going to be the case. School does not revolve around your job it revolves around the children.

Our school has given us the choice. The only classrooms that dont have AC are the foundation ones so they have said those kids can stay home if we want and it'll be authorised.

Mine will go in as we have to work, and I also cant deal with the drama of her big sister having to go in!

The school I work in will remain open as it has air conditioning, however so many parents have decided to keep their dc at home/go to the beach/impromptu holiday.

Today my classroom hit 41 degrees and we are not at the peak. I vomited today. A number of pupils sent home due to fainting and vomiting. Instead of complaining feel grateful that your children’s safety and well-being is being prioritised Teachers are parents too. We understand. We care! Hence, school closing.

Came here to say this! School is not childcare. They don’t think about whether you’re at home and at nothing, or whether you’re in a demanding and difficult job. They don’t think much about you at all! That is not their responsibility!

Children are statistically safer at school where there are adults actively safeguarding them. All that’s going to happen if school closes unexpectedly will be a lot of kids unsupervised, probably outside, in very high temperatures. More kids cooling down in rivers etc.

I think the vast majority of schools are ignoring children’s well being in order to facilitate working parents.
It’s a red weather warning, a danger to life. I honestly think some children will be very poorly over the next few days after being forced into school.
Schools should prioritise health and safety, but generally they’re prioritising working parents and I think it’s to the children’s detriment

Yep. Surely making it optional is the best bet.

You do realise thay school is for educating your children, they're not your child minders. Its likely little education will happen in this heat so why should they go? You are parents before you are whatever career you are. No one. Not even teachers are obligated to looks after your children.

So tiring trying to explain this - I’m guessing you’re a teacher? Just wondering based on the hostile attitude and lack of comprehension of what I’m saying. It’s like when you even broach the subject of shorter holidays due to normal people’s annual leave entitlements and teachers start frothing at the mouth.

It’s not ‘my rules’ either, it’s the schools lack of consistency when they say “we’re not childcare” as soon as they drop parents in it who have to work. I’m not setting the curriculum as you state, but it was making the point about over reach from education into parenting type learning.

To reiterate, I agree that the top level heat is too hot for children but I also see the OPs point that yet again schools don’t seem to communicate effectively that they know parents will have a tough time with alternative arrangements this week. It’s that “oh well your problem” attitude that annoys a lot of us when the same school will be down our necks if we keep our kids off with flu.

Time to get aircon in all schools - Something for the new Prime Minister to implement asap

Yes this! My sons school is now closed Wed and Thurs afternoon (they were actually quite slow on communication which was stressful) but mine is still open optionally after lunch. So I'm still potentially in dependent on how many children stay. It's stressful but PP is right- its part of parenting to have to make arrangements for your children's welfare.

My classroom has windows on all three sides so it is pretty uncomfortable at 25 degrees plus. At 35 degrees we can't use it safely so kids have been under trees in the morning and in the library in the afternoons. I don't work Tuesdays but staff said it was hellish and they felt unwell. If it's not safe it's not safe.

We need clear guidelines from the DFE on temperatures inside schools so it's not done on a school by school basis.

Schools are places of education not childcare. As a parent as much as yes you do need to work, it’s your job to find appropriate childcare.

Schools don’t close for the fun of it and actually, teachers can be parents too and also face the same issues as other working parents. Needing last minute childcare and putting your children over your work does come as part of having children.

I will say I do absolutely sympathise that schools can be awful at communication - with teachers as much as parents and children and that this should have been planned in advance seeing as we knew about this heatwave since last week.

I so also think that it’s the way our society is set up that women are expected to be available at the drop of a hat while also being fully committed at work. We in general need a more family friendly society where childcare needs don’t get in the way of society being able to function. Not sure how we’d achieve that though.

To answer your last question though, what do they think you’re doing - they think you’re being a parent primarily. I’m sure there are teachers who would be happy to spend the extra time babysitting in these cases if they were paid appropriately per child for it.

I agree. Mine have to be collected ay 1pm trw. Means juggling things round...

Schools are open about what they offer and what they teach.

If you don't like it, you don't have to send them.

What you don't get to do is send them but expect the school to follow your rules. They don't have to OK any kind of curriculum with you or debate their opening times- it's up to you to agree with them, or make alternative plans.

No closures so far in my village in South Yorkshire. Although some parents have taken it into their own hands and taken kids out. I certainly don’t think they do these things lightly, some parents are actually asking for school to be closed. We have AC at home so they would be better here but unless school close any absences would be unauthorised.

They are putting you children's safety first. I work in a school it's 30degress in classrooms with windows open, no shade in playground so kids are stuck in, hot and bothered. No adult would want to work like that. They are following safety guidelines. You'd soon complain if your little darling got poorly.

This isn’t new. I’m almost 50 and remember my primary closing for a week for all sorts of reasons: too cold in winter and heating insufficient, too hot close to summer; some sort of virus going around ( week closure every winter for this); days here and there for any reason. Parents have to have back up options - grandparents, babysitter, nanny share, call an agency organize help for the day/ week

Call me old fashioned but school should be about education not childcare

OP as a mum whose DS left primary school 15 years ago I would say everything to do with school ignores parents' work commitments!