To think they should not have been allowed to do PE in this heat?

[Teacherinatutu]

I am willing to accept IABU if you genuinely think I am.

It's very hot here today (around 33 degrees).

Ds came home tonight very hot and red. They did an hour long PE lesson in the afternoon heat. He said they weren't allowed back in for a drink until the end of the lesson and they were on the field with no shade.

I don't think they should have been in the sunshine at all when it's at its hottest let alone doing P.E.
Plus, the school also has a rule where sun cream is banned and parents must apply the 8 hour protection before school which isn't as effective by 2.30pm.

AIBU?

[StonedGalah]

Dd is not going to school nursery tomorrow because it's too hot. I come from Aus, and people not concerned that a child couldn't take a water bottle to a PE class in this heat worry me.

You're a nation that doesn't do heat, it's ok to getting a bit hysterical and be a bit "redic" in what is classified as a heatwave in this country.

In Aus this would just be a summer day

[NRomanoff]

of course they should do PE its not that hot. They should have tgeir water bottles, use the shade if there is some and sun block.

Sun screen in sprays and cream are banned at school but a stick is fine. i would be shocked if a school banned all sun screen.

Dd and ds school have sports week, today they did football and athletics then did kickboxing after school. They were fine.

[Teacherinatutu]

I am surprised so many schools allow it. Round here it's the 'norm' for it to be banned. Many of us have complained and the head isn't bothered! She wrote a letter stating that the 8 hour stuff is more than adequate and that was that.

[soapboxqueen]

Last time it was really hot I took my class out for pe and we sat under a tree. It was too hot and the children were driving so much water they were in every few minutes going to the loo.

[downgraded]

PE is fine, but no drinks and no sun cream is just fucking stupid.

I'd be complaining about that.

[StonedGalah]

Anyone saying it's not that hot based in London? Because it really was a scorcher here today and tomorrow will be hotter

[Sparklingbrook]

Well I wouldn't have wanted to do PE today. It was boiling here.

[Theas18]

Yab a bit u I bet the kids run about more at break time yes " even in this heat" than in pe !

[Tessbrookes]

I'd have no problem with them doing P.E out in this heat. In fact, mine did today.
However, they have water bottles. No water in this heat is just crazy! THAT I'd be kicking up a fuss about.

[musicinspring1]

I'm a cover teacher and have been asked to teach P.E tomorrow. But I can arrange the day how I like - if I teach it first thing and allow hats/water bottles and shade breaks I'm not going to get any parents complaining... am I? !?

[DeeWe]

I played a fast and furious game of tennis this morning from 10-12. I thien took 8yo ds and played an hours tennis with him singles (on a full court, not the mini red) for an hour at 3:30. It was glorious.

[Madamecastafiore]

I think you are over reacting.

I doubt your DS did excessive physical activity. I can't say any 8 year old is put through excessive physical activity at school.

Him being without water for an hour outside isn't a life changer either. I went though infants and juniors having warm milk at 11 and then a small glass of water with lunch. I survived as dos my peers.

As for the sun screen. You need to buy one and apply it properly so it is effective all day. Teachers don't have time to do this for 30 kids and can't be held responsible for allergies etc.

[IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou]

As I was out for my run this afternoon, the park was full of kids running around, playing & fighting (no parents). Half of them still had jumpers or hoodies on!!

Do you follow him round with a watering can all evening OP, in case he wilts?

[ouryve]

Sounds grim.

Only mid 20s, here (though so muggy that the heat was painful) and local school brought kids in early from break because it was so uncomfortable out there.

[Sparklingbrook]

I walked from the car into the pub. I was pooped.

[Stillwishihadabs]

Most (all) of the rest of the northern hemisphere's children are on holiday already. The English school day (or English schools) are not designed for 33C. You know what they say "mad dogs and English men" YANBU

[Runningupthathill82]

IknowIAm - Similar experience here. I ran through a busy city park at lunchtime and saw two separate school trips with kids out playing, very happily, in the sun.

As a pp said, PE is not the Marathon Des Sables. It's a bit of a run around outside. Lets keep this in perspective.

[TattyDevine]

I dont know...I grew up in Australia and if we never did PE when it was 33 degrees we would never have done PE. Which would have been great now I come to think of it.

And in those days we weren't allowed to faff around putting on sunscreen. I never put on sunscreen before school. We would seek shade during break times as you naturally do if its hot. We have free access to water but not in the middle of a lesson. No water bottles or anything like that. No aircon. We survived! Nobody got sunstroke.

Don't see why they couldn't do something in the hall instead but cancelling PE seems a bit soft IMO.

[Getabloominmoveon]

Anyone remember the heatwaves of the 70s? I was at school then, doing PE, probably running around more than most kids today. No such thing as sun cream or water bottles, and hats were for old people. And we all lived!

[BlinkAndMiss]

I wouldn't be upset that they did PE but I'd be livid with the suggestion that the 8hr sun cream is enough and that it's not allowed to be reapplied. I can't understand how schools are allowed to do this, it's incredibly stupid of them. PE is fine when the correct precautions are taken but it doesn't sound like they were.

[AskBasil]

Oh FFS.

Why is it a Good Thing to make a bunch of kids run around without water in the sun for an hour?

Why would anyone want to do that?

Even if it doesn't actually kill them, what the effing fuck is the benefit?

[Sparklingbrook]

We used to play Rounders every single PE in the boiling heat. My ploy would be to get caught out early on then go and lie under the tree on the playing field for as long as possible.

We did running round the track one week in these sort of temps- the 1600 metres IIRC. there was vomit and everything.

[SophieJenkins]

Nobody got sunstroke.

How many got skin cancer?

[Blarblarblar]

Why shouldn't they. It won't do them any harm, hot, tired sleep well.
I lived in a tropical climate as a child and even in the heat of summer we did PE and I am the whitest/bluest human alive and am fine.
PE is not valued enough in education it is so important for healthy development.

[WhirlpoolGalaxyM51]

The no sunscreen thing would worry me. If you are very pale (like me!) even factor 50+ doesn't cut it for longer periods of time and it doesn't last all day.

Mine get factor 50+ in the morning and DD2 is fine, DD1 has got colour on her cheeks - pink not dark burned - but that's just from normal 20 min walk to school each way and playtimes. She would burn outside in full sun for an hour even with sunscreen and so would I.

In fact OPs son is burnt is that right? So where's the good in that, I'm assuming he had sunscreen applied in the morning as per the rules.