To think closing schools or making them "optional" during the heatwave is putting pressure on working parents and is just a bit silly?

@goodoldsussexbythesea More fool them.
Two questions:
What time do you personally arrive at work normally?
What time would you deem as "acceptable" for teachers?

I think at this temp in London in an old Victorian building with little insulation or a portacabin I'd trust the HT to know their school, I do think they should stay open for those that have no childcare as a minimum, and generally think most can operate until 12 quite easily before it gets hot.

In what other profession do people routinely arrive up to 2 hours before they start?!

Loads - Chefs. Doctors. Pilots. Cabin crew. That's just off the top of my head.

But my child's school starts at 8:30, you can't tell me teachers are in at 6:30 every day because it's simply not true.

No. Saying the poster, i.e your example of the one teacher who arrived at 8.50. was not representative sample.

Jesus.

I didn't say it wasn't

So saying staff are in at 8 isn't true?

My son’s school is doing optional pick up at 1. Any children left after 1 will be entertained by remaining staff not taught. There’s two classes with air con so those are being utilised

@noblegiraffe And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! I put my own children first, too.
In what other profession do people routinely arrive up to 2 hours before they start?!
Teachers need to push back.

So what?

I get in just before school starts but that's because I have to drop my own kids off first.

It just means that the work that those teachers are doing early morning, I have to do the night before. But I'm a night owl so that suits me.

@goodoldsussexbythesea Fair play to him - more teachers should do that! Arriving to work 10 minutes before you start is reasonable, no?

Staff are in at 8? my sons teacher gets the same bus we do. He goes in while the kids play in the playground for 10 minutes before school.

You're talking about access, not heat. There are contingencies for every state/territory for closures to do with heat. And yes, you're utterly ignoring the basic, if not always adequate design of Australian schools. I can only speak confidently of Victorian state schools with all the utterly shit demountable classrooms, so many with no blinds or adequate heating and cooling.

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=au+school+closures+due+to+heat&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

If it's too hot at school and best for the kids to be at home I understand and wouldn't want them to stay in school.

I would have found it easier as a working parent if the plans for the week were communicated earlier, as in our school they suggested school would be open until late afternoon the day before each time and for 3 days in a row changed to lunch time pick up but I think the forecast today may have got hotter - while difficult to plan I only felt sightly frustrated with the school when I went to pick up and they were actually in an air conditioned class room!!

Maybe they could adjust their working day to match.

😂 I'm already in at 7 most days with an hour commute. I'm not sure I could get in earlier as trains don't start running until 6.15. I had the carriage almost to myself today, but did miss the old British Rail trains where you could open all the windows wide.

Not sure this helps with the childcare issue as if schools finish early the kids will need picking up during most people working day.

The point that was being made is: if the school day starts a couple of hours earlier to account for the heat, that would mean teachers needing to get in at 6am or earlier.

So? I get into work at 7.30am some days and have an hour's commute. I'm hardly on my own on the train either.

Playing around with school terms has a knock on effect on the examination and result schedule - that could be changed in time, but it's worth bearing in mind. "Simple" solutions don't always work.

Why are you commenting on something that is happening on the other side of the world and doesn’t affect you? Anyway, your schools are far better equipped to cope with the heat. I sat in a classroom that was 32 at 11am, without a single fan. Btw I have taught in the Middle East, where there are measures in place to cope with hot weather but the really high temperatures come in the months when the schools are closed.

Start before 9!! Staff are in at 8 anyway and many need to commute. What actual time do you expect staff to get up?

The Tories cancelled the building schools for the future programme.719 school revamps that were already signed up to the scheme were immediately halted.123 academy schemes were put under case by case reviews. They are supposed to be sorting the RAAC cement debacle and need to fund schools better as it is. So until that happens….

Yes and your schools are FUCKING SHUT FOR HOLIDAYS AT THE HOTTEST TIME OF THE YEAR. Everything in Aus is designed around the heat. What the fuck is your argument?

Schools need to have a sensible and coherent policy and if not the government needs to sort them out, as academy trusts are largely run by a bunch of overpaid numpties anyway who enjoy seeing teenagers sweating all year round in blazers for some reason.

• Change school terms to finish in June and return in August (missing the usual heatwaves)
• When hot weather is forecast shift the days to start and finish earlier.
• Uniform should be shorts/t-shirt/joggers/sweat top anyway so kids can feel.comfortable all year round, move and not wear clothes of a level of formality that bearly anyone over 18 wears.
• Build schools with heat as well as cold in mind.

Absolutely it's bullshit. In Australia we often get 40 degree plus days. Terrible storms too, floods. The only time the schools are closed is if it's already flooding and driving would be dangerous, ie. children could be stranded. This puts ridiculous pressure on working families.

I'd take unpaid leave.