To complain to school?

[Dutch212]

Son was to do PE at peak heat outside yesterday followed by lessons outside. Came home with heatstroke. Aibu to complain that school should have kept children cool and out of sun. I sent him with hat, water and creamed but it didn't prevent this.

[MoonfaceAndSilky]

I'm not one to complain and I think some parents can be a bit precious but in this case I would absolutely complain unless the said child is 15

[sorenofthejnaii]

Cancer Research and a sun safety policy

www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/prevention-and-awareness/sunsmart/sun-safety-at-schools/school-policy-guidelines-for-sun-protection

[MoonfaceAndSilky]

Oh, he is 6 then yes I would 'have a word'.

[PonchosLament]

Definitely speak with the school.

The dangers of the sun weren't known when all of the posters on here were children for a start.

And just because some people fare ok in the sunshine, others don't. I'm very fair and can burn in half an hour at only 22/23 degrees. My daughter is the opposite. I wear factor 50 all the time.

So yes, mention it.

I'm a primary teacher and I wouldn't have done that yesterday. I wouldn't have wanted to be outside for that long myself, let alone had the children out there for that long.

[SetPhasersTaeMalkie]

The trees would be for shelter surely? No trees, nowhere to shelter from the sun.

[SetPhasersTaeMalkie]

I'm a primary teacher too and wouldn't have done that either OP.

[sorenofthejnaii]

Given some of the responses on here (and on similar threads), you can see why the UK has a massive increase in skin cancer rates.

People going abroad for their sun fix, sunbathing at peak UV times, A stronger sun with more UV compared to before and a blase attitude to the sun.

People calling you 'fusspots' when you dare to raise concerns. Probably the same people who in the 60s would have a go at you for saying the smoking is harmful.

[harderandharder2breathe]

Okay for 6 year olds I agree the school needs to be responsible for the sun safety

I know it's tempting to be outdoors when the weather is so nice, for both teachers and kids, but they need to be sensible about it and stay in the shade and give lots of water and go indoors in the height of the sun or if there isn't enough shade for everyone

[ILoveMyMonkey]

Teacher here. I wish more parents would complain as, certainly in the schools I've taught in, there is either no sun policy at all or a completely inadequate one. Maybe if mire parents did complain then sun safety would be taken seriously. In my current school children aren't even allowed to bring sun cream in to apply themselves incase they share it and they are allowed out without a hat onto our no shade playgrounds and for PE etc whereas I think hats should be compulsory. The UK need to wise up to the dangers of the sun and instil in children from a very young age the need for hats, water, suncream, cover ups and staying out of the sun in the peak heat.

[JudyCoolibar]

Well I wonder how I survived a British childhood without sunhats, factor 3000 and the insistence I drank 12 litres of water every day at 5 minute intervals.

I survived because my school didn't ever go in for lessons outdoors apart from PE, and those sessions were an hour at most. If teachers want to have lessons outdoors they really have to ensure they take place in the shade.

[SatsukiKusakabe]

Heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke.
You don't need a medical degree to spot heat exhaustion, or to treat it to a recoverable level at home.

I've had it and it's awful - I would expect the school to have taken better care to avoid this, yes by managing the timing of activities.

It was pretty hot at half past eight this morning, it is a heatwave rather than an ordinarily warm summer day when they would be fine with usual precautions, slightly different approach required.

[PonchosLament]

Completely agree, ILoveMyMonkey.

[MadSprocker]

My ds13 has sports day today, madness.

[Emochild]

Cdtaylornats

My point being there's no shade ??

[SemiNormal]

I would have a word, not in a nasty way of course but raise it as an issue.

Sent my 5yr old to school today in sunglasses, hat, slathered in suncream etc, spoke with his teacher to ask how long they would be out for and she said they would certainly be kept in for some of their lunch time in this heat. They are also putting up gazebos for some shaded area as they were planning on having a picnic outside today (last day of school). They will also be reminding them to reapply suncream and I've asked if they can help make sure it's done correctly. I feel really fortunate they are so on the ball with this at my sons school.

[APlaceOnTheCouch]

I would mention it to the school. Some schools are excellent on sun care and others, not so much. But they should be.

[serendippity]

She means lack of shade CD. I agree with saying something to the school. Heat exhaustion/sunstroke or just overheating, he is still unwell due to the decision by the school to leave them out in the sun.
As has been said, maybe don't complain but do raise it as a concern.
I hope he feels better soon op.

[spiderlight]

Our school had blooming sports day yesterday - all the kids and parents were expected to sit out in full sun afternoon. Lots of parents took their kids out of the activities and took them home early, and thankfully the teachers saw sense mid-way through, sent the kids into the shady playground to cool down for a bit and then called it a day and sent them all home half an hour early. Even so there were lots of very tearful children and I know how they felt - I ended up with a splitting headache. The school would have been damned either way though - it was a last-minute arrangement because there were loads of posts on its Facebook page all last week demanding a new date after the first two attempts at sports day were rained off.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Yanbu to raise it as a concern.

I was hospitalised with dehydration and heatstroke at your sons age due to there being zero sun policy at my school back in the 90's.

[Peakyblinder]

My dd has sports day today too. She is 11 but my son is 4. They have hats and water but will be out side ALL DAY.
I'm actually quite worried and hoping it doesnt go ahead. Its far too hot out there ! I'm not a fuss pot at all, I'm definetly in the " oh just get on with it " school of thought but it really really IS hot today !!!

[SemiNormal]

Just checked my sons school Facebook group and an awful lot of parents aren't even sending their kids in today stating it is too hot for them.

[bumsexatthebingo]

I wouldn't complain tbh. If he had pe at peak heat then that's 12 at the earliest and most schools finish at 3 ish. so he had 3 hours in the sun with cream on, a hat and water. Would he not spend that much time at the beach on holiday for eg in temperatures much hotter? I think heatstroke is exaggerating a bit. Sounds like he was hot and maybe slightly dehydrated. I would remind him to keep topping up his water bottle on hot days.

[Witchend]

I doubt its actually heat stroke if he's just a bit headachy today. Dm got that when I was little and about 2-3 weeks later she was at the just tired and headachy stage.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I would raise concerns too.

If my vets were posting on face book warning against walking your dogs between 11 and 5 im not sure who thought leasons outside would be a good idea

Fwiw my dd is off today after vomiting last night. Due to the heat.

[PonchosLament]

Would he not spend that much time at the beach on holiday for eg in temperatures much hotter?

Some people wouldn't, no. I never go to the beach. It's too hot and exposed. And I don't travel anywhere warmer than here because this heat is too much for me.

So, no, just because it might be deemed ok by some parents for their children, does not mean that other parents does not mean that is is ok.

I got caught out this year at a weekend camping at the beginning of June. It was about 23 degrees. I was out in the unsheltered sun for about an hour and then sought shade afterwards. That evening I was hot and sweaty, cold/clammy and sweaty, shaking, nauseous... even if it wasn't as serious as sun/heatstroke, it wasn't pleasant.

Just because some people love this weather, it doesn't mean everyone does and the heat affects people differently.