To think schools should shut in 30' heat

[dragonflyglaze]

I'm a TA in an Infant School in the South East, we break up next Thurs. This week has been tough, the little ones can't cope in the heat and as much as we try and keep them indoors, hydrated etc some of them are just not coping. Never mind the staff who are doing their best to support the children whilst slowly melting.
Next week we are forecast to hit 30' and there's an extreme weather warning. We have to close if its too cold e.g. heating not working, or too windy. I can't understand why there's no rule for extreme heat.

All these people thinking about themselves and not their kids. Unbelievable

HOT SPELL.....there.

Have you ever been inside an average UK school?? Even if they managed to scrape together the £££ to have aircon installed they would never be able to fund the sky high energy bills needed to actually run it.

@AtomicBlondeRose it's there in black and white....hot spell.

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

People concerned about taking unpaid leave, or risk getting the sack because they don't turn up for work.

That's not them thinking about themselves, that's them thinking about keeping a roof over their children's head and food on the table.

The outside temperature remains the same whether you are at home or in school so it really is irrelevant.
They surely can do calmer activities indoors or in the shade with regular breaks for water, ice lollies etc. Make smoothies or fruit lollies to enjoy the next day.
Stopping education for wind, snow and heat is a bit daft. How do you think the rest of the world copes, just adapt.

@IGotItInTheSales Did you read the bit underneath about "potential for serious illness or danger to life?"

You seem to have cut off the bit that says Extreme Heat. Odd.

@AtomicBlondeRose yes love, I did

Increased travel, increased visits to water....it's all there along with the 'vulnerable' people part. Can't see anything about no air con in classrooms though

The humidity here makes it much worse. I have colleagues from Spain and Portugal who can’t bear the London summer for this reason.

And in any case, schools in Spain shut for June, July and August. It’s customary to send children to stay with their grandparents for a good portion of this time.

@noblegiraffe no need for that, you've been banging on about it enough....that wasn't in question anyway. I was told it didn't say 'hot spell' so I showed it did

Can’t you just keep yours home if you are worried

It says NOT JUST vulnerable people (although children are vulnerable). As in there's a danger to everyone. It doesn't say anything about air con in offices either or whether your postman needs to bring a bottle of water out with him but that's not really their job. The fact remains it is an unusual, extreme weather event and it's stupid to just dismiss concerns as snowflakery.

You said “The met office are just referring to a 'hot spell' on their website....over a few days”

They are not just referring to a ‘hot spell’ are they? They have issued an extreme heat warning which you seem to be attempting to minimise.

All these people thinking about themselves and not their kids. Unbelievable

Is this for real?

You don't think parents not getting paid or risking their jobs would impact their kids.

Seriously?

So many parents focus on their darling's comfort above all. Everything has to be comfortable, risk free and perfectly tailored to their dc's needs.

They don't look at their dc as part of a wider peer group and as an active member of their own generation, no it's their little star mini me who everything needs to centre around.

I know of mums sending copious amounts of food when their 14 year old dc go on school residential even though school explicitly asks that no food should be sent with. They proclaim at parent evening that their poor dc could not possibly go without their daily bag of crisps or other fun foods when away with school and they actually worry about how their teenager will cope without a daily portion of crisps.

Do these parents honestly expect their kids to be wrapped in cosy cotton wool as adults? How are they preparing them for adulthood?

How will kids learn to manage environmental, social and personal challenges if they are pandered to in this way? It's like creating a generation of helpless, witless youngsters who need to be pacified with food and games. Not everyone is like this but many are.

Rather than asking for a day off next week, get the students to brain storm solutions to global warming and heatwave management. Let them learn about the risks to health and life as well as how to manage those risks.

Let them compare met data and discover how things have changed in the last few decades.

This will teach them that they can cope by being smart and engaged, not by opting out and playing Roblox or splashing around in the paddling pool. 🍦

Currently 31 degrees in my classroom (upstairs room opening onto an internal corridor and windows open 2cm - ventilation never been great). Was 37 yesterday afternoon so I'm expecting to top 40 on Monday. Me and the kids are sweating buckets, even with 5 fans on (which I'm having to shout over so voice is going). Not sure anyone is learning anything, and I'm sure I'm talking gibberish by 3pm.
Ah the joy of the last few weeks of term.

Did you miss the word potential? Just stay hydrated, out of the sun and no vigorous physical activities.
It's beyond ridiculous the wimps we are turning our children into. Unless of course we are paying for a sunny holiday abroad. Then a week of "extreme heat" is perfectly acceptable.

Yes but you cut out the context.

You're arguing that the term "hot spell" implies it's not serious, while cutting out the context that shows it is.

It’s not just thinking about myself but my colleagues who need to pick up the slack of an already understaffed ward or visits that I can’t get to. That doesn’t just impact me but my patients

Schools do have summer and winter uniforms though....

Then why are people posting about their daughters wearing heavy skirts and kids wearing blazers?

That's a week in which you are almost certainly in a country built for the heat, most probably with a sea breeze coming in, and not expected to accomplish anything educational or professional in it.

Context is a right cow, isn't it.

Perhaps then when we lived in the uk and it was very hot, if schools closed, DH would have had to stay off work with them (I had less flexibility at work) - as a GP that would have meant cancelled appointments. An you imagine the complaints!
Schools can remain open regardless of the weather and everyone needs to get on with life but dressing appropriately, drinking lots of water and staying out of the sun - joint effort by teachers and parents

I live on top of a mountain where we get severe red warning wind storms multiple times a year... but the school has never been off for wind so thats a new one to me.

In fact in the bad storms at the begining of the year they moved the 'entrance door' from the main door to one at the other side of the school because it was too dangeous to open the main door, school stayed open in the aftermath with all the fences blown down too.

Same way they stayed open for 3 years with a collapsed playground wall (with a temporary mesh fence and sandbags to stop the kids climbing on it) from a storm many years ago (I think about 2015).

If we stopped for wind our kids would never be in school up here but we dont because life goes on lol.

Same species but in the same way that white skin and black skin cope with the sun very differently, our bodies also deal with heat differently. Most of us have many generations of Celtic ancestors who’ve rarely had to deal with temperatures over 30.

The people on here who love the heat do not have the same experience as the people who hate it….because if they were lethargic and uncomfortable the whole time they wouldn’t love it would they?

My son is 17 and he doesn’t go into college if the temperature is over 30. Just don’t send your children in if you’re worried. As the parent of autistic kids, I know that primary schools are obsessed with attendance over everything else. If the rules are stupid you make your own rules. That’s my motto🙂