To be annoyed my child is freezing cold at school

[BlueSkies2020]

My child’s school has all the windows and doors open all day, following govt guidelines on reducing Covid transmissions. I support this in principle, and have sent my child in extra layers as requested. It needs to be official uniform, so I’ve added a cardigan under the school fleece, vest under a polo shirt, tights with socks over, trousers. They shut the windows and doors when the children are outside playing to warm it up.

The issue is my child is sat right next to the classroom door (opens to the playground). Her table is at a diagonal and she is sitting in the draft stream iyswim.

She is complaining about the cold. Says her arms and legs are freezing and I can verify that when I go to pick her up - her face is freezing. Yesterday she felt icy cold and it’s not even that cold outside. She won’t raise it with the teacher - quite shy.

Do I just suck it up and put even more layers on her. Or complain?

Any advice on extra layering and affordable layers gratefully received. We’re quite short of money right now due to husbands work drying up during Covid, so don’t have money for base layers which look quite pricey.

Uniform is royal blue. So any product links would be helpful x

@SleepingStandingUp I get really cold if I am sitting still for a period- not a problem if I am moving around

[quote crumpet]@SleepingStandingUp I get really cold if I am sitting still for a period- not a problem if I am moving around[/quote]
I'm not suggesting she's not cold. But all that makes me think it's Def the. Wind tunnel and op needs to talk to the class teacher not the receptionist, or school are t putting the heating up in which case school needs to be escalating it

"They were told not to wear their coats indoors and to save them to wear for breaktime."

That was my whole childhood. Being freezing, wanting to put my coat on indoors and being told that I 'wouldn't feel the benefit when I went outside if I did."

Body temperature doesn't work like this. Once it's dropped, it's harder to warm up than just not letting it drop too far in the first place.

And yes ventilation to hopefully suppress the overall spread of the virus, but for people for who its their workplace, there are govt guidelines in place which workplaces need to follow.

Lowering kids' body temperatures is also counterproductive. You don't get ill directly from being cold but it can reduce your immune system response if there are bugs and viruses around. A stuffy room isn't good for you but neither is being freezing cold all the time.

M&S thermal undies/thermal tights
Fingerless gloves
Snood/ scarf wrapped around face

Just buy her a snow suit in Royal Blue and sew on a school logo from on old sweatshirt. The ones I’ve looked at even have hoods. She’ll be as warm as toast. It’s going to get a lot colder than this OP and you will not be the only parent wondering how to send you child to school so they are warm. Alternatively you could send her in with a hot water bottle instructing her teacher to refill it every hour. She’ll soon be moved to the cosiest corner of the classroom I promise.

SleepingStandingUp you asked how old my kid was re: teachers telling her they're risking their lives to teach her: she's 11 and has recently started secondary. She's old enough for me to not make a big fuss about it and been pretty non-committal with her on the subject but she has mentioned 3 separate occasions where it's been said.

I don't want to derail the OP's thread - I just think this setting up of teachers' safety vs kids' needs is unproductive and surely it's OK to ask for a middleground. I sympathise with teachers, I really do, but it's not the kids' fault they're at school in a pandemic and they should be allowed some physical comfort!

Dilling do excellent quality merino underwear/base layers.

I’m surprised the school won’t move kids around as some feel the cold more. My youngest is wearing short sleeved shirt, cardigan and trousers. Has refused a vest.

Also surprised school aren’t flexing requirements. We have been told vests etc, but also boots being allowed which normally aren’t, fingerless gloves, and body warmers over cardigans. Only told no massive logos, no colour requirements.

Thanks everyone

So I purchased some ‘ski base layers’ from Aldi today. Wanted them for tomorrow rather than wait for online delivery. For those wondering what base layers are, they’re like skin tight, stretchy very thin pyjamas. A sort of second skin. Only £6.99 for top & bottoms. I also purchased ski socks. I think the key is not to wear cotton. Synthetic best (or merino wool/silk if you can afford it). Next I will look for fleece lined boots, a snood and fingerless gloves.

The shelf at Aldi had been ransacked but I managed to find 3 packs in her size. I guess I’m not the only parent looking to keep their child warm in the classroom this year.

For those suggesting we talk to the teacher, I can’t really. We’re not allowed near the classroom now. I can email and ask to set up a meeting which I might do if my daughter continues to feel cold. It’s really not THAT cold here today, it’s because she’s sat in the draught of the door I think. Our school was in huge deficit before Covid due to funding settlement, so I’m not sure they can afford to put the heating up.

Feel free to derail the thread as you want. I think it’s good to be having this discussion.
I’m concerned what will happen when it gets colder. Surely the teaching unions won’t be happy for staff to be working in sub 13 degree temperatures if it breaks health and safety legislation? I worry schools will close again.

I'd ask for a review of the uniform. My youngest's super strict, uniform obsessed head has said that the children can wear uniform with layers underneath, or plain navy tracksuits and trainers with whatever they need to keep them warm underneath. Plus an extra hoody and a hat if it's extra cold. It's not ideal but she's trying to make the best of it.

Not all schools are doing this, my DD's certainly isn't. Sounds bonkers to me that children are having to wear thermals to school and freezing cold, having to ask to wear extra layers!! Now that's asking for children to become unwell!

@blankiesandunicorns are you in England? It’s official DfE guidance they are following so all state schools are expected to ventilate

Perhaps they have an air con system? Or similar?

@blankiesandunicorns if you are living in England, your dc's school is in the wrong. I can't believe they're not doing that. Our local authority has been doing spot checks on schools, which I respect.

@BlueSkies2020

Thanks everyone

So I purchased some ‘ski base layers’ from Aldi today. Wanted them for tomorrow rather than wait for online delivery. For those wondering what base layers are, they’re like skin tight, stretchy very thin pyjamas. A sort of second skin. Only £6.99 for top & bottoms. I also purchased ski socks. I think the key is not to wear cotton. Synthetic best (or merino wool/silk if you can afford it). Next I will look for fleece lined boots, a snood and fingerless gloves.

The shelf at Aldi had been ransacked but I managed to find 3 packs in her size. I guess I’m not the only parent looking to keep their child warm in the classroom this year.

For those suggesting we talk to the teacher, I can’t really. We’re not allowed near the classroom now. I can email and ask to set up a meeting which I might do if my daughter continues to feel cold. It’s really not THAT cold here today, it’s because she’s sat in the draught of the door I think. Our school was in huge deficit before Covid due to funding settlement, so I’m not sure they can afford to put the heating up.

Feel free to derail the thread as you want. I think it’s good to be having this discussion.
I’m concerned what will happen when it gets colder. Surely the teaching unions won’t be happy for staff to be working in sub 13 degree temperatures if it breaks health and safety legislation? I worry schools will close again.

For those suggesting we talk to the teacher, I can’t really Your teachers aren't allowed on the phone?? That's bizarre. DS, 5, came out saying something had happened at school. O called reception at 3.30 and asked teacher to call when she could. Receptionist tried the classroom and teacher was there so we spoke. It shouldn't be that hard to communicate with them, what if it was something urgent??

@SleepingStandingUp I haven’t tried to speak to the teacher to be fair. She is self isolating at home anyway and I don’t know the names of the other teacher (my daughter says she can’t remember!). In normal times we would know the teachers. I’ve not found it easy to communicate with the school during Covid for obvious reasons, it’s all quite formal which puts me off contacting them because I don’t want to seem unsupportive. Perhaps someone will come back to me after my call today.

I went to pick up my daughter from after school club and door was wide open (windows too). Children (not mine) sat in T-shirt’s around a table eating their tea. This is run by early years staff in our school so not an external provider.

I raised my concern but the response was that they have to keep the doors open. Didn’t want to get into an argument about making sure they wear their jumpers so left. Not impressed by what I see as lack of care (I also noted staff were in hoodies and scarves.

It isn't unsupportive to stand up for your daughter's needs. If you call and say hi this is Alice Smith from Year 2s Mom, I wanted to talk to one of her teachers they should be able to put you through without needing their name. I totally feel you on the communication thing, DS is yr1 and were not even getting telephone parents evenings so out last parents evening was a year ago

If you can’t talk the teachers, as we have also been asked, perhaps class email addresses could be set up. We normally use communication books, but the nature of them means infection risk, so we have class emails. Works quite well.

went to pick up my daughter from after school club and door was wide open (windows too). Children (not mine) sat in T-shirt’s around a table eating their tea. This is run by early years staff in our school so not an external provider.

Unless the children looked or seemed cold I dont see the issue with this - my DD takes after me and is always warm so she will happily sit in a t shirt and shorts even in the middle of winter - and you dont know what they had been doing, they may have been doing something active before their meal so they were all warm and didnt need extra layers.

It wouldnt have been your place to get into an argument - I'm sure the children had access to more layers so if they wanted them then they could wear them if they chose to and they clearly didnt so the staff arent going to force them to wear jumpers just because you thought they should.

Honestly speak to teacher. My son wouldnt care a jot and would happily wear nothing but shorts & tshirt year round, as would a few others. There may well be a child who is happy to swap and concentrates better with a "breeze".

At 6 your daughter is old enough to put her own jumper on at after school club if shes cold

(As are the other children).