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?

@Witchcraftandhokum

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

Good lord. I've said I entirely understand why they're doing what they're doing. It's the way they're going about it and not bending on any of the other rules that is the issue.

I would homeschool but I'm a solo parent trying to write a PhD thesis so I'm a touch busy at the minute. Thank you for your invaluable input though.

@Rosebel

At least your daughter can wear her coat. All the windows open at daughter's secondary school (understandable) but it's very hit and miss about if they can wear coats or not. Some teachers allow it and some don't. My children wear t-shirt under their school uniform to try and keep warm, I can't imagine the children learn much as it's so cold and feel sorry for the teachers but think it's terrible that some teachers insist on them removing their coats. I hope they don't do that as the winter gies on.

It’s not the teachers policy it’s the headteachers.

UPDATE

Another parent emailed the school this morning, she received this reply;

Morning,

Thank you for your email,

I have just been up to the classroom, the children are not in their coats or gloves today and the class heating is on. Each class has their own heating controls so teachers can switch it on and off as their discretion.

I will keep and eye on this over the next few week

My daughter got in the car this afternoon and said of her own volition "we had our coats and stuff on this morning and the headteacher came in, didn't say anything then left and then a bit later my teacher had an email to tell us to take our stuff off". Other pupils in the class have said the same to their parents, entirely independently.

We have just received the weekly newsletter, which mentions the classroom heating (first time since returning)...I've attached what their stance is.

@annabel85

It's not going to help with colds and viruses. The more they spread the worst the situation with hospitals.

How do you mean?

I can’t believe people are telling OP to simply home school 😂😂😂 Yes the windows should be open but uniform rules should be relaxed.

@Feministicon

I despair, I really do!

@ZolaGrey

UPDATE

Another parent emailed the school this morning, she received this reply;

Morning,

Thank you for your email,

I have just been up to the classroom, the children are not in their coats or gloves today and the class heating is on. Each class has their own heating controls so teachers can switch it on and off as their discretion.

I will keep and eye on this over the next few week

My daughter got in the car this afternoon and said of her own volition "we had our coats and stuff on this morning and the headteacher came in, didn't say anything then left and then a bit later my teacher had an email to tell us to take our stuff off". Other pupils in the class have said the same to their parents, entirely independently.

We have just received the weekly newsletter, which mentions the classroom heating (first time since returning)...I've attached what their stance is.

I’d keep emailing! I’m sure the head is fine in their nice warm office but it’s crap for everyone else. It’s just not sustainable through the winter either; uniform really isn’t a priority at the moment- being comfortable is.

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

I agree they could, and should, be relaxed at present. Unfortunately the Government seems to disagree and their guidelines say that normal uniform rules are advised.

As I've mentioned our school has got rid of the uniform from Monday when we return from half term.

We are independent but we haven't veered away from any other government rules.

As I said a lot of parents objected. My view is that it isn't me sitting in a freezing classroom or marquee at break times.

Give it a week I reckon

The primary line go too revised uniform in the summer. The high school did similar.

There’s no need for strict uniform rules, especially at the moment

What about care homes, are they being ventilated as well? Just wondering....

I think a lot of homes are over-heated, and children are not used to feeling cold. Heating is a luxury, but has become the norm to have central heating in homes.

It is no surprise they are feeling the chill.

Some of us don't have the money to have the heating on to those levels, and for us, a blanket and even a woolly hat at home is normal, or staying under the duvet. I suspect my child will be one of the few who doesn't complain about the temp at school, as they are used to it. Sad but true.

@Changethetoner

I think a lot of homes are over-heated, and children are not used to feeling cold. Heating is a luxury, but has become the norm to have central heating in homes.

It is no surprise they are feeling the chill.

Some of us don't have the money to have the heating on to those levels, and for us, a blanket and even a woolly hat at home is normal, or staying under the duvet. I suspect my child will be one of the few who doesn't complain about the temp at school, as they are used to it. Sad but true.

I can't believe that I've just read that.

Are you genuinely saying that we shouldn't be heating schools to a reasonable standard because it is a "luxury"? Heating is not a luxury, it is a necessity, the fact that some cannot afford it does not make that thing a luxury, it means that society has failed miserably that there are people who cannot afford these basic necessities.

I didn't read Changethetoner's post like that.

I read it as her pointing out that lots of us are used to being in centrally heated environments these days and that an ordinarily chilly room feels 'colder' than it would do if we weren't.

For families who don't have decent heating at home or can't afford to use it - when heating is actually a 'luxury' - the children are more likely to be used to rooms being on the cold side.

@christinarossetti19

That's reasonable. There's definitely a couple of ways it could be interpreted. Hopefully you're right!

@Changethetoner

I think a lot of homes are over-heated, and children are not used to feeling cold. Heating is a luxury, but has become the norm to have central heating in homes.

It is no surprise they are feeling the chill.

Some of us don't have the money to have the heating on to those levels, and for us, a blanket and even a woolly hat at home is normal, or staying under the duvet. I suspect my child will be one of the few who doesn't complain about the temp at school, as they are used to it. Sad but true.

I grew up in a very cold home - warm in the main living room with a fire but freezing elsewhere in the house - ice in the windows - shivering in bed at night. Awful - I can tell you I was cold but I never complained - I knew there wasn't any point. I never got used to it!

My school’s guidance is one high up window open during class (at least). I also have my crappy heater on. I then open all windows and the door during break and lunch.

@CHIRIBAYA

What about care homes, are they being ventilated as well? Just wondering....

I don't know about care homes as not been in one for a while.

I suspect that in most care homes they haven't got as many people crowded together, sharing smallish desks, in smallish classrooms however, so it will probably need different guidelines.

The risks are different for different settings. Care homes obviously have a lot of other risks applicable to their settings, which may not be the same as general ones.

I do know that the hospital ward I was in recently did have windows open all day and overnight, albeit not fully.
The side room I was moved do after my positive test came through also had open windows, though I could have chosen to close them myself - was asked to air the room in a morning though - but the two sets of doors were closed.

@year5teacher

My school’s guidance is one high up window open during class (at least). I also have my crappy heater on. I then open all windows and the door during break and lunch.

That approach seems eminently sensible. Well, the best of a bad lot if that makes sense.

I recently visited a geriatric ward in a hospital. The windows were all open (and the heating on).

The school should let them wear whatever layers they need (teachers will be after all). Also, what if some families can't afford the extra layers?

I run a care home and can only imagine how much trouble we'd get into for this so I can't understand why it's ok to treat children like this.

What about care homes, are they being ventilated as well? Just wondering. We have no government guidance but have been told by our regulatory body (CQC) that if we get an outbreak we will be held fully accountable.

Thermals, cowl, fingerless gloves, and frequent intervals of exercise to warm up.

The Approved Code of Practice suggests the minimum temperature in a workplace should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius. If the work involves rigorous physical effort, the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius.

However, I imagine in the current situation, this is directly usurped by the guidelines for being covid safe.

I've seen a just giving page on Facebook where suggestive is trying to raise enough money to buy all the children in one school a pack of 5 vests to keep them warm over the winter. Apparently school is keeping doors and windows open and it's starting to affect children's concentration