About schools, temperatures and coats?

[FlumpyLump]

My 11 year old son is currently wrapped up in blankets with the heating on full blast and he is still shivering and can’t get warm. He has come home from school like this.
He is in year 7 (also asthmatic) and they have a no coat policy. They aren’t allowed to wear it on the premises and it has to be locked away during school hours. They are only allowed to wear their school uniform around school.
It has been minus 3 where we live today and full of snow. They have the windows wide open in the classrooms as well due to covid. He said he sits near a window and it’s always cold. Apparently, a child was close to tears today because they were shivering that badly and couldn’t concentrate.
During dinner breaks, they are kicked outside with no coats allowed. They also weren’t allowed to run around in the snow so they were standing around freezing.
I bought him a plain black scarf to help keep the cold off his chest and he was told to remove that as well.
I’m worried about covid obviously, but my son also suffers with his asthma in cold temperatures and he gets very poorly this time of year with it. They know this.
It’s madness.

Probably 80% of our students were outside at lunch today without coats. Coats aren't cool, so even if they bring them, they don't wear them.

Poor boy that is too much

My DCs’ school is the same. They’re only allowed the pitifully thin school polyester jumper/cardigan which does nothing at all to keep them warm.

Have you spoken to the school about your worries with regards the impact on his health?

Have you made sure he is layered up under his uniform?

Thermal underwear and a neck warmer from out door/mountain sports shops (the warmest sort, long sleeved vests and long johns under his uniform. Cosy socks /boots. Fingerless gloves.

That’s all madness. The not having coats at break time is absurd.

I’d tell him to have a hot bath to warm him up. And check his temp in case he’s ill.

@CoffeeWithCheese what? Unions haven’t said kids can’t wear coats?!
Dfe have told us to ventilate. My lot are dropping like flies and all we are told to do is ventilate. They wrap up warm and I have spare blankets for those who don’t.

@MrsHamlet

Probably 80% of our students were outside at lunch today without coats. Coats aren't cool, so even if they bring them, they don't wear them.

Mine used their warm winter coats as football goal markers in the school playground, while they ran about in rain, snow, biting wind.

@2bazookas sounds about right!
Must be cold though... my "never out of shorts" y13 was in full trousers today. And a t shirt, obviously.

It was ‘egged on’ by the DFE actually, the unions wanted proper ventilation but Boris wouldn’t fork out as kids don’t matter.

Get your facts straight.

It’s really really cold in those classrooms! My year 5 dd has chilblains on her fingers. I’ve sent her with wrist warmers today.

That is appalling OP, and it’s a sad indictment of our current attitude towards children that you felt you needed to ask whether you were being unreasonable on here - of course you aren’t!

We have as a society lost all perspective in our response to Covid, especially where young people are involved. Whatever happened to ideas about quality of life and general well-being? The school is being ridiculous trying to maintain their uniform policy under these circumstances and I’d definitely broach this with them.

I'm pretty sure there's a minimum temp classrooms legally have to be above to teach... I think it's 16c. If a class is below this I'm sure it has to shut or a different clasroom has to be found. This is why schools close when the heating breaks.

But maybe covid sends all rules of common sense and decency out the window...

DS school are allowing coats during lessons due to the drop in temperature.

I’d be making sure you have ALL the facts before contacting school, or at least asking the school if the no cost policy is correct?

@MLMshouldbeillegal

Of course it's madness.

But it doesn't matter that your son is freezing his bits off. Only Covid matters. And the teaching unions have decided that they want windows open, irrespective of what parents and children need or want.

It wasn't/isn't the unions who decided windows should be open all day. That was the government's policy - it was pretty much the only thing they told schools they could do to protect the staff and children inside schools, especially at primary.

If the windows are open it isn't just the children who are cold. The staff are too. I have arthritis and the level of cold in some of the classrooms I work in make my joints really painful. To the point that my fingers in one hand were starting to seize up today, and not for the first time.

Classrooms are cold at present, even though we have the heating cranked up. Layers and more layers is key.

I would be questioning why coats cannot be worn outside, not scarves and gloves etc.

Not should read nor

@CoffeeWithCheese Jesus- people this thick truly do exist.
The NEU guidance for minimum temps in schools is 18 degrees. 2 degrees higher than the 1992 Workplace safety act which is 16 degrees in all workplaces including schools where physically demanding labour isn’t taking place.

My ds primary is the same, no coats, no hats or scarfs allowed in class. He's just had a few days off last week with tonsillitis, had it at the beginning of October as well and covid over half term. Keeping the windows wide open isn't stopping the covid spreading and is making everyone ill. It's totally ridiculous. He's a child that never normally wears his jumper, he's been wearing a vest and jumper, puffer jacket hat, scarf and gloves walking there and home but freezing for 6hrs while he's there.

@Invasionofthegutsnatchers

This is my life I'm a teacher with the windows flung open and freezing temperatures. It's horrible.

Yeah but you're an adult and can wear what you like. This poor kid. I'd be keeping him off school and telling them why. This windows open thing is so bloody stupid it doesn't stop the spread anyway!

Our eldest asked me to buy thermals because the high school is so cold. This morning primary sent message out stating they are keeping windows open so feel free to send then with an extra jumper or fleece.

Back in my day (feel so old saying that) we got sent home if school was below a set temperature.
Our son is bonkers though, chose not to wear a jumper or coat for forest school today, highs of 4C

My Y8 DC has to eat lunch outdoors. I teach primary and we have the windows open for ventilation but I close most of them for a bit if it's too cold and open fully when they are out for break or lunch.