Can schools issue fines for absence during very hot weather?

[CanTheyFine]

I’m planning to keep my dc off tue/wed/thu due to the heat - can schools actually fine for this ? Or is it only for holidays that they do this ? Or do you have to have at least 10 unauthorised sessions ?

Say they’re ill. I’ve worked in plenty of schools and they’re unbearable in hot weather. Everyone who’s actually worked in one and has the opportunity to keep their children off is doing so. My 15 year old fainted in a history lesson last year despite adequate hydration. The room is just simply too hot. The kids will learn NOTHING at all in those temps. It’s a pointless exercise unless you need the childcare for work purposes.

People can get extremely stupid over the impact of heat. It would've been more sensible to include that information in your OP, but I expect you'd have still got at least one summer of 76 comment from someone wanting to centre herself.

But is the safest thing not just to claim they've got the shits? I find if you're going to do something like this, where it relates to a medical condition but in a way you can't assume nobody will get Dunning Kruger over, it can be easier just to pretend it's a bog standard illness.

I was just worried about lying ? I thought it’s better to be honest as it’s still a medical reason

Today is also very hot but it sounds like they still went to school today. Where i am its currently 31C, tomorrow 36C and then 39/40 wednesday.

Surely they would also be off today if the heat is a trigger? Or had this issue last time we have high temperatures?

I'm not minimalising asthma or eczema, I have both as do my children.

I get that but tbh I would say no, often better not to be honest. Quite often people just want to cover their backs and not have to do any thinking. D and V is easier. I know you get the odd case of schools telling kids to come in anyway, but it's more likely to be received without argument or bright ideas.

I work in a primary school, I can honestly say it is much cooler at home than in my classroom. The windows do not open much, sunshines directly on it all day, we have a fan on the ceiling which does nothing unless you are directly underneath it. The head has air-conditioning and can't believe people are finding it hot 🤔
I can take them outside but we don't have much shade and there are 21 classes. We're a 3 form entry. So for me I'd rather my kids were at home.

Yes they both went to school today it’s 29 but for the next 3 days it’s predicted to be 35/36 (central London)

Thank you for sharing your first hand experience and speaking up for the children in your class with genuine care. I hope you and your class are doing OK this week. From an ex-teacher with a Year 3 teacher husband 😊

Why are people being so horrible? It’s a perfectly sensible question.

And no, most schools are not set up to cope with temperatures of 37 degrees.

Our local primary school is closing at 1.15pm on tue wed thur due to heat. After school club is cancelled. There will be no hot dinners, just a school sandwich lunch
This has been announced and n the last 20 mins so people are experiencing today’s heat and realising when it’s even hotter it will be unbearable.

At home you can put kids in a cool bath and eat iced drinks.

No learning happens at this temperature.

@ThankYouNigel very well explained

Also to add that children are more likely to suffer heatstroke than adults due to their small size

Thank you, luckily I don’t work Mondays so managed tI sit in the dark all day in front of a fan and am still sweating - woman of a certain age 😬.

Sorry but l think this is totally wrong - no way can theu fine for one day unless there have been more absences within ten weeks.

Agree with this.

Yeah poor kids missing out on sweating in a stuffy classroom with a load of other miserable kids!

Anyone working in a school during the 2022 heatwave will know on the 37+ days it was very unpleasant and no learning happened. Everyone was just focussed on staying cool.

Wow some of the responses on here are utterly mind boggling 😵‍💫
The ‘get on with it’ attitude is crazy.
look the the stats. We are expecting an unprecedented heat wave and they have now issued a red alert. This goes beyond ‘have a drink and wear PE kit’.
I’ll be keeping my secondary age child at home. For those of you who think they (or the OPs) child should be in school, put yourself in their position. Upwards of 30 children in a class if you visit a room in the fifth period that room has potentially had approximately 150 children in there before you’ve even got to there. imagine the air quality not to mention the fact that most windows will only open 1 to 2 centimetres and some teachers think it’s better to keep the windows closed to keep the hot air out. Utter madness

If you think it's too hot just say that they're feeling very unwell in the heat.

You're not a doctor so can't diagnose a specific illness but you know if they are not ok to learn.

Without window restrictors and the other H&S rules we have now like fire doors with no gaps (so no ventilation) that must be kept closed at all times.

You know your children best, make the decision you feel is best for them.

What fucking garden???!!!! Another over privileged poster who it hasnt even occured to that some ppl live in flats in tower blocks

More than 200 people doe of asthma each year in this country. I wouldn't risk it just because some people aren't aware than adults have autonomy and lots of us work in places with air con. If you genuinely worry I'd trust your instinct because the worse case scenario either way makes that a clear choice.

I would keep them off and keep them cool. Im suprised so many people think home and school are comparable in this temperature. Ive worked in schools a long time- 30 plus kids is hot in any room with windows too. Home, they'll be eating lolly ices, we have hard floors so cool on bare feet abd can close the blinds so nice and cool.

Op- ring them in sick- suffering from asthma.

Does it? Why? Three days this week are forecast to be hotter than the highest temperature recorded in UK at any point that Summer.

She mentioned a paddling pool. Where’s that going to go - the balcony?

Explain that the asthma is exacerbated by the heat, so it’s making them unwell. Don’t ask for work to do though.

Maybe schools will have to begin to adapt to a different school day, starting at 7.30am and finishing at lunchtime.