to think that the school should be reorganising some of tomorrow's activities?

[JackSparrow]

There's a whole school dress up day tomorrow. Lovely.

I have just had an email to say that the children will be spending large parts of the day outside tomorrow with no shade or shelter, so need to remember the suncream and water bottles.

AIBU to expect, given the predicted temperatures for tomorrow (am in SE) that amendments might be made to the plans? It is not sensible to keep children outside, with no shade, throughout the hottest parts of the day when temperatures will be soaring.

And yes, I know there are hotter places in the world. And that children live there, and go to school, and everyhting. I was one of them. And we didn't ever spend hours on end outside with no shade or shelter (let alone in fancy dress).

I haven't asked for it to be rearranged or cancelled, just reorganised. It is not practical, or wise, to keep young children out in shadeless areas in full 30+ heat for hours on end. This is not an afternoon rounders match (my dd played in one today), it is an all day event where the children will be largely outside for the whole school day.

No help is given with suncream at my dd's school. It was, in extreme circumstances, in reception, but not since. The children are barely given enough time to apply it either. (I will, of course apply before school, but that is not good enough, imo, and I certainly wouldn't rely on that if she were at home and in and out of the garden tomorrow - I would be reapplying regularly.)

Lateswim, I agree, we have absolutely no idea how to do summer. I grew up in temperatures far higher than this. And for longer than just one summer. The proposed day tomorrow is not practical, and would not be suggested in any country which regularly deals with these temperatures. And it concerns me that so little attention is paid to sun protection concerns. A lot has changed since the 70s. A lot more is known about the dangers of sun exposure, especially for young children.

No child I knew had heatstroke in the 70s heat wave and it was the whole summer!

Why was that then?

Mind you we weren't dehydrated either just thirsty. Far less dramatic.

Hey ho soon be winter.

jack yes to be fair it's silly to have am all day event without shade.

We do need a commen sense approach.

My brother had heatstroke in 1976. It is a well repeated tale in the family. I cannot corroborate it, as I was in utero - something my mother often reminds me of (can't blame her - I was a late July baby, she must had had a hideous time of it). She too got heatstroke that summer.

Funnily enough, I got heatstroke as a pre teen. after we moved back to England. All those years in soaring temperatures, with no sunburn or heatstroke, yet a couple of years back in the UK saw me afflicted with both. Due to poor management on schools' part.

As for dehydration - my other daughter is on dehydration watch at the moment. That's not a laughing matter either, and shouldn't be dismissed as much as it is. She is an extreme case (due to SN) but you'd be surprised how quickly it can arise, especially in young children who are not always the best at noticing or paying attention to body signals when they are engrossed in something fun.

I got heatstroke twice in 1976, one of the times I was vomiting and shivering for about 7 hours. Once whilst on a breezing beach, the second time watching tennis at school.

Did my A-levels through the heatwave that year, that was fun.

School need to take this much more seriously.

In that case, JackSparrow, I would be changing schools. If you can't trust them to keep your child safe for a day, they shouldn't be going there at all.

Oh I remember the heatwave in the 70's I spent most of it outdoors horseriding, and I can recall being so hot I lay down on the tile kitchen floor to cool off.

Squinkie we used to sleep in the kitchen in 76 as the tiles made it the coolest room in the house. I spent most of the summer in pants and flip flops, in and out of paddling pools. Db was a young baby. He lived in the garden naked and shaded by an umbrella judging by the photos we have. With my mum in attendence, of course.

Jesus! I remember the summer of 76! We had a standpipe at the end of our street cos of drought and several plastic buckets

I don't seem to recall that we actually used them though - I think it was just in case.

I was 7 at the time and I remember my mum sending me out to the icecream van for icelollies - I think she was desperate!

I remember '76. The tarmac on the pavement on our road melted!

Yes, I remember 1976 too!

But the Met Office has just confirmed that today has been the hottest July day ever. And yes, schools need to do quite a bit better about shade, water, hats and sunscreen if they are having DC outdoors at all between 12-1400 hours, or for more than an hour outside those times.

www.westbriton.co.uk/Perranporth-School-pupil-dies-collapsing/story-26815459-detail/story.html?r1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.westbriton.co.uk%2FPerranporth-School-pupil-dies-collapsing%2Fstory-26815459-detail%2Fstory.html

No child I knew had heatstroke in the 70s heat wave and it was the whole summer!

I got sent home from school with heat stroke in 1976. I also had a terrible heat rash and the school was worried I had measles and put me in quarantine for the rest of the day. I would like to think things have moved on since, but clearly not. YANBU.

Helenadove that's tragic. Poor family