26 degrees too hot for classroom?

[Marsaday]

I am a teacher, and am 25 weeks pregnant. My classroom is 26 degrees by about 11am on a sunny day even when cold outside, because the building is designed like a greenhouse. Leaving windows open all day makes no virtually difference as they only open a few cm and closed curtains block all airflow anyway. Have to leave curtains closed as otherwise 12 children get slowly roasted by the sun shining directly on them, plus sun shines directly onto board making it impossible to read. Have tried a fan - that just moves hot air about.
School central heating is not yet on, but once it is the problem will only worse as it's a central system and there is no way to turn off the heater (hot air blower) and the sun will still shine.
On a sunny day teaching 6 hours in this heat is exhausting me. There are also times when i feel close to fainting after a couple of hours as i just cannot cool myself down.
It is not just me that struggles, the kids are miserable and cannot learn effectively when overheating.
AIBU to ask the school to do something to reduce the temperature?

I would suggest reflective film on windows, adding an isolator switch to radiator, or getting me a portable air con unit.

...are you a french teacher by any chance??

Lucky you. It was 18 dry, stale and smelly in my air con office today. Want to swap?

Lucky you

Did you mean to be so goady and dismissive?

She also has the not insignificant dad's of a class of pupils to consider.

OP I think I'd ask for a revision of your risk assessment.

There isn't a maximum temperature for workplaces but it needs to be reasonable.

If it is affecting you and students refer it to your manager or HR dept.

not insignificant demands

Sorry but that post just made me feel very cross.

I really feel for you, must be awful. I think Dixie might be right, I'm not sure of there is a maximum temp, but if you google nasuwt classroom temperature guidelines, it brings up some info about if it is too hot there has to be access to water, relaxed workwear etc.
I've been having a similar issue at my school, but with the cold - it's often 14 degrees in my department, it's so cold but they won't put the heating on for us as the rest of the school is warmer.

Hope you get it sorted.

Yep there is no maximum temp. I know as I've worked in places where it got to 34.

Make sure you get an accurate reading for the air temp before complaining.

I cant get passed a class of 12!!! ??

Sounds like my classroom, except i have up to 31 in there at a time.

I don't think she means she only has 12, I think she means there are 12 children who'd be in direct sunlight.

Between that's how I read it.

I think op means 12 children sit in direct sunlight, not that the class has only 12 children

We had the window film fitted and it's made a huge difference

Ageingartemis I'm a maths teacher, although I also teach a few lessons of citizenship to year 7.

Sooty thanks, I may well do that. I do feel sorry for the students, it's hard convincing them to focus on algebra when they are boiling hot. The room is also a bit smelly by the end of the day so my last class have to enjoy that too!

Haha, yes daim is right. 12 kids in the back row get fried by the sun. My smallest class is 26 students, most are 29 or 30.

There's no legal maximum.

I know, I've checked.

Have spent many a day roasting slowly in a computer room full of children in the summer when temperatures hit upper 30s regularly. Not nice!

What ilovesootysaid.

I've also found schools more responsive to complaints from parents.

Sadly there is no legal max temperature. I endured Ofsted at 6 months pregnant, in July in a classroom topping 33 degrees at my last school. Inspector himself said he didn't know how it was allowed and went and got me a glass of cold water before he'd give me my feedback (back when individual lessons were judged)

Eedon Sadly i know there is no maximum, I have taught in a few badly designed schools with the same issue, and normally I just put up and shut up.
Being pregnant makes me more inclined to say something though as I have the health of baby to think about too. Plus it's not going to look great if a pregnant teacher faints in front of a class!

You need a stronger fan .The act of moving air cools it

You should have had a risk assessment done for whole you are pregnant. This should more you are more likely to be affected by heat than other teachers. Possible solutions include a portable air con machine, although they are noisy or a classroom swap. If all else fails go to dr and get signed off or get a 'fit to work if' note specifying break times and a max temp.

Brioche i need this one

OP I was just wondering as I had a french teacher who taught in a greenhouse style classroom (glass on 3 walls!) who would frequently threaten to walk out if the temperature went over 26 degrees. It was her "limit point"

Haha, perhaps I should try that. I only know it was 26 as I took a thermometer in today out of curiosity - and it was partially cloudy for most of today. Was definitely higher last week.

I've checked the law vis a vis maximum temperature in a workplace before too. I used to work in a lab that got unbearably hot in the summer. I was on nights so started work at 8. At the end of a hot summer's day it was unbearably hot, it led to mistakes.
In this case it was because the building wasn't a purpose built lab, but an old warehouse with a lab put in it. A couple of years later we moved to purpose built air conditioned labs, which was bliss.
My wife is a teacher and says that most classrooms are either freezing or boiling.

The act of moving air cools it It doesn't. It aids evaporation of sweat from your skin making you feel colder but fans don't cool air. Bowl of ice in front of a fan is a cheap low tech a/c unit.