Very cold classrooms

[ZolaGrey]

My 10 year older daughter just got in the car after school and she is frozen, her lips are chapped and her fingers are freezing.

It turns out that the school have decided not to heat the classrooms and that all doors and windows have to be open all the time, it's been around 3-6° all day here. She's had her coat on all day.

I've said that she could take a hoodie or similar in tomorrow but she said they're not allowed as it's not uniform, they have however been told they can wear hats, scarves and fingerless gloves in the classroom

I would imagine that if I kept my house unheated, with all the doors and windows open all the time that I would be accused of some kind of neglect.

Am I right to be unhappy about the set up? I'm a bit over stressed at the minute so I'm not sure how reasoned my reactions are to things currently!

How are everybody else's school approaching this? Has anybody had any logics information to back up this approach?

I'm surprised they've not got the heating on and windows open too. That's what we have at work. Think layers are essential. Classrooms needs air flow of course.

Our school has asked for children to where an extra layer.

I can imagine the school might think it is pointless having the heating on if all the doors and windows are open.

Layers underneath the uniform as well as on top.

Nothing else useful to add.

I work in a nursery school in Scotland and we have been told both nursery and school we are not allowed the heating on as it's recirculated and all doors and windows must be open. Children are told to wear layers. Vests, tops, shirts, jumpers, coats.

We sent newsletters home to inform parents of this especially with covid and the colder weather.

I'm surprised that it is legal to ask the teacher to work in those temperatures. I thought there were minimum temperatures required in the workplace. It sounds terrible for your daughter.
(I'm pleased that our local bus drivers have seen sense and all the windows are now closed on the buses)

Both our schools have the windows open. I’ve bought my DC long sleeved thermal tops for under their school shirts, and made sure they are taking warm hats, gloves, scarf and coat. One has also taken a blanket to school (suggested by tutor). Only one back after half term so far and she is cold. It’s going to be a long winter :-(

@Pud26

I work in a nursery school in Scotland and we have been told both nursery and school we are not allowed the heating on as it's recirculated and all doors and windows must be open. Children are told to wear layers. Vests, tops, shirts, jumpers, coats.

We sent newsletters home to inform parents of this especially with covid and the colder weather.

Yes that seems to be the set up here. We haven't been told though and I think it only became apparent today because it's been quite mild up until now.

I do think the "you can't wear a hoodie etc" because it's not uniform is pretty dense though, they can't have Baltic classrooms AND be sticklers for uniform policies...surely!

I'm wondering if I imagined that the heating is on at work then, will double check. Schools are crazy places at the moment but they are trying hard I imagine to keep everyone safe and school open. I know we are.

Probably because the gov said they'd fund heating for schools because they need to keep classrooms well ventilated and now they're not!

If definitely bring it up with the school, some children feel the cold more than others, but remember they are also following guidelines.

@Paul72

I'm surprised that it is legal to ask the teacher to work in those temperatures. I thought there were minimum temperatures required in the workplace. It sounds terrible for your daughter. (I'm pleased that our local bus drivers have seen sense and all the windows are now closed on the buses)

No legal minimum temperature, only a maximum one.

It’s a reasonable adjustment that has been made due to covid. Due to the circumstances, trying to keep people safe during a pandemic isn’t neglectful. Yes, it’s horribly cold and I’m not surprised your daughter is struggling but thermals and lots of layers are what she needs now.

@Paul72 @recededpronunciation

It's quite grim isn't it. I can't imagine it would be acceptable for adults to work like that in offices so I can't fathom the logic for classrooms of children (and the teacher, TA etc).

Her uniform is short sleeved polo shirts so I'll get her some thermal vests etc. I'll try and persuade her to take a small blanket in too.

Does make me wonder how families who can't afford to kit 1/2/3 kids out with thermals/extra layers etc are meant to deal with it though.

That is completely unacceptable from the school. It absolutely warrants a "raise hell" level response. If you do social media, how about a tweet @ your local newspaper.

PS: The normal minimum for a workplace for work that isn't manual labour is 16C, and 13C for physically demanding work, though it's not an absolute minimum.

www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/law.htm

Schools have no protection when it comes to minimum work temperatures, they are exempt.
I’d get them long thermal tops and leggings, thermal socks and go from there to thin layers. Fingerless gloves are also useful, and a hat with ear protection.
I’d also write to the governors asking for uniform regulations to be relaxed as it’s now exceptional circumstances.

@Paul72

I'm surprised that it is legal to ask the teacher to work in those temperatures. I thought there were minimum temperatures required in the workplace. It sounds terrible for your daughter. (I'm pleased that our local bus drivers have seen sense and all the windows are now closed on the buses)

I think Covid regs supersede this

Yes it’s cold, I sit in the inclusion room all day long and it needs to be ventilated. Thermal under layers are the way to go.

No legal minimum temperature, only a maximum one.

Pretty sure that there is neither (in the workplace anyway, if we're thinking about teachers, not sure about schools). I believe workplace temperature must be 'reasonable' and presumably this is deemed lower than normal due to Covid H&S requirements.

Thermal vests all the way, plus a huge blanket scarf, hat and fingerless gloves...

@safariboot

That is completely unacceptable from the school. It absolutely warrants a "raise hell" level response. If you do social media, how about a tweet @ your local newspaper.

Are you taking the piss?

@WitchFindersAreEverywhere

Schools have no protection when it comes to minimum work temperatures, they are exempt. I’d get them long thermal tops and leggings, thermal socks and go from there to thin layers. Fingerless gloves are also useful, and a hat with ear protection. I’d also write to the governors asking for uniform regulations to be relaxed as it’s now exceptional circumstances.

That's a good idea re: governors and relaxing uniform rules. It would be much easier to wrap her up if she didn't have to stick to the uniform - which is arguably null and void if they're wearing coats and scarves in there all day anyway.

Yep. No heating and windows have to be open. On Monday, the rain was coming into my classroom and we were all freezing. Then the wind started blowing the window closed - so I then had to battle against that. It’s going to be a loooonnnnggg winter.

I thought primary school uniforms (in England) could only be recommended and not compulsory?

When ds had a uniform crisis I took him in in a non-uniform jumper and a note. Take her to the door and speak to the teacher yourself to say she's got more layers because she was so cold yesterday?

@MinesAPintOfTea

I thought primary school uniforms (in England) could only be recommended and not compulsory?

When ds had a uniform crisis I took him in in a non-uniform jumper and a note. Take her to the door and speak to the teacher yourself to say she's got more layers because she was so cold yesterday?

That would be my approach. I don't overly care about uniform and don't really agree with strict uniform for primary when they're normally covered in pen and glue anyway but she's got to the age where she's conscious about fitting in and she'd be mortified if I sent her in in her own stuff and she was the only one.

I'm with you though!

I work in a school. As far as I’m aware all schools are the same due to government guidelines. Thermal underwear upon thermal underwear I’m afraid

Hi, my DD is right beside the open window, so she gets very cold too. Their uniform is also white polo shirt under a cardigan with skirt and tights. On the basis it is too cold to take her cardigan off, I've been layering a long sleeve white Tshirt under the polo shirt, as well as a thermal vest. I bought black leg warmers to go over her tights and on very cold days I will put black leggings on her over the tights. She has fingerless gloves, several pairs so I can wash them like her uniform. The ones with a mitten flap that you can button down are good, as when listening she can tuck her fingers inside the flap.

I have told her, if she gets very cold, to put her hand up and say she cannot concentrate because she is shivering so much, and politely ask if she can put on her hat and scarf. School has allowed them to lay their coats over their knees when they are chilly, so I think they will be reasonable.

It is a bit tough on them but better than not being in school at all, I think.

I think your childs school is making it worse than it has to but with good intentions. They could let children wear more appropriate clothes like fleeces and they could put the heating on and it could ventilate by just opening the windows a small amount and then opening them more widely at breaks and lunch time. The school i work in is much more ventilated than normal but we dont have all windows wide open all day and no heating. Its chillier but its way above 6 degrees! More like 16-18.
I can recommend thermals.