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?

Hmm. No amount of extra layers will keep you warm in less than 10 degrees in a draught if you are just sitting still. You would need a 4 season sleeping bag!
Outdoor nurseries are different as the children are moving around to keep warm.
Being cold all the time will lower their immune system as well. I think the classroom should be kept at 16 and they should be allowed to wear what they want.

@TheKeatingFive batshit indeed.

The thing is, the rigid schools will ultimately get a poorer level of school work from the children, won’t they? Simple “hierarchy of needs” theory logic - productivity goes down if people are really physically uncomfortable. So maybe poorer results and achievements will convince the batshit school heads, even if common sense doesn’t.

Close the schools!!!!!

Oh hang on that’s a different set of threads all together.

Long sleeved thermals are a great idea. I need to go and track some down.

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

Not the school, these are in the government guidelines.

@DipSwimSwoosh

The heating is off in most rooms. But it is off in my house too, until a few hours in the evening. I just don't think it's that cold yet. I am SW though, maybe it's much colder further north. I don't feel the cold as much as some people, but it really isn't as cold as it's going to be.

It's been under 10°c all week with mist/fog and a horrible damp feeling where I am.

@MorganKitten

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

Not the school, these are in the government guidelines.

Yes so it appears, however myself and the parents I've subsequently spoken to from our school had no idea about it. Maybe a heads up about the government guidelines and how they were addressing them would have helped us be a bit more prepared.

Plus, it's also become apparent that the approach in her specific classroom is not school wide, some have windows shut and just air the classroom at break times etc. So evidently not all classrooms are taking the government guideline approach to the letter.

Thermals! A really good base layer makes a huge difference.

@QuestionableMouse

I'm South West but the last few days has been cold. I've de-iced the car the last couple of mornings and the temp has definitely dropped significantly, it's also very windy which doesn't help anyone to feel warm.

I don't think being cold at

@D4rwin

Thermals! A really good base layer makes a huge difference.

I think I'd have more luck trying to order a covid vaccine at this rate, it appears that everybody's children are freezing cold and nobody anticipated a rush on thermals, typical!

They need to suspend the uniform policy if it is going to be cold enough to make some of the kids this uncomfortable. Not everyone can afford thermal underwear and expensive coats. Some kids are going from cold school to unheated homes. This isn’t safe.

Our school has told the kids to layer up but they’ve also told us that they are cranking the heating right up.

I recommend wrist warmers with thumbs instead of fingerless gloves. They are a bit easier to write in. eBay are doing cotton knit ones (bizarrely called "cashmere"), and extra long ones that go up beyond the elbow.

DD is grateful she did her stint sat by the window BEFORE 1/2 term!

@SnackSizeRaisin

Hmm. No amount of extra layers will keep you warm in less than 10 degrees in a draught if you are just sitting still. You would need a 4 season sleeping bag! Outdoor nurseries are different as the children are moving around to keep warm. Being cold all the time will lower their immune system as well. I think the classroom should be kept at 16 and they should be allowed to wear what they want.

This.

It be might just about ok at the moment but as winter goes on they might have to reconsider the arrangements or close schools.

On another similar thread someone was recommending that the OP get her dd a vest to stop her getting freezing cold... 🙄

I do think schools insisting on strict uniforms are being ridiculous.

They should let the kids wear what they want

If this is how it’s going to be then it’s clear that schools have been demoted back to childcare facilities again, because not a lot of learning is going to get done if the kids are so uncomfortable. Never mind the physical health issues it could cause them.
I don’t know the answer but this surely isn’t it.

I'm all in favour of letting the teachers be creative about how kids learn things this year. Get them outside and moving on dry days, storytelling in the playground etc.

I don't want DS off school because the last lockdown drove him to start self harming behaviours. He's 8. He needs time with other children. He needs to learn. He does not need to sit still at a desk all winter.

@MinesAPintOfTea

I'm all in favour of letting the teachers be creative about how kids learn things this year. Get them outside and moving on dry days, storytelling in the playground etc.

I don't want DS off school because the last lockdown drove him to start self harming behaviours. He's 8. He needs time with other children. He needs to learn. He does not need to sit still at a desk all winter.

This doesn't work at secondary though. I do agree with you, and my ds coped so badly with learning at home through lockdown that his school insisted he come back in and join the keyworkers' children. I felt bad about that when a lot of other children equally struggling didn't get that option

I would rather he was in school, so if they have to take measures like keeping the windows open constantly, that's what we have to prepare for. I bought him thermals to go under his uniform plus they have the option of wearing a bog-standard school jumper, so I've bought a couple of those from the supermarket. I would prefer school to allow all pupils to wear warm clothes, any appropriate warm clothes, as they need to be comfortable to learn effectively. (I bet they don't though, there's too many that take the piss if you allow any leeway.)

Thank you @Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin . Both Scotland and England are quite clear then - yes classrooms need to be ventilated but also need fucking heating.

There should be no excuses. If the normal heating is inadequate or there's some reason it can't be used, schools have had months to get things sorted out.

Wow, schools are trying everythng to stay open and people are still complaining. Maybe you should home school.

Thank you @Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin . Both Scotland and England are quite clear then - yes classrooms need to be ventilated but also need fucking heating

Schools have had their budgets slashed for years, they can't afford to heat classrooms with open windows.

@safariboot

Thank you *@Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin . Both Scotland and England are quite clear then - yes classrooms need to be ventilated but also need fucking heating*.

There should be no excuses. If the normal heating is inadequate or there's some reason it can't be used, schools have had months to get things sorted out.

And who will foot the bill for all this? Because the Government won't, that's been made clear.

And schools haven't been doing nothing for months. We have been open since March and throughout lockdown, making adjustments constantly when the Government decide to change their guidelines every so often last minute with no warnings.

We have the heating on. Its okay most years though still cold in many classrooms - old Victorian buildings, high ceilings, not great insulation, etc. With the windows open its going to be colder.

But we don't have the money to put in brand new heating systems across school!

@safariboot

Thank you *@Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin . Both Scotland and England are quite clear then - yes classrooms need to be ventilated but also need fucking heating*.

There should be no excuses. If the normal heating is inadequate or there's some reason it can't be used, schools have had months to get things sorted out.

How do you suggest schools use those months to 'get things sorted out' if there's no extra money? Can you please answer that and not just simply spout bollocks and disappear?

@SaltyAF how about something as minimal as not insisting on strict ,full school uniform only? That wouldn't cost them any money.

@Lowprofilename

When I, as a childless adult couldn't afford central heating, going to work was a nice break from the cold. I really feel sorry for the children who will be cold at school and at home.

They need to get rid of uniform for the time being.

Government guidance says school uniform is expected, any changes made earlier in the year have to be reigned back in.

“ Some schools may have relaxed their uniform policy while only certain categories of pupils were attending. We would, however, encourage all schools to return to their usual uniform policies in the autumn term. Uniform can play a valuable role in contributing to the ethos of a school and setting an appropriate tone.” - from the government guidance.