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.

No I really don’t think the school should shut, changes should be made-

pupils should be allowed to go in lighter clothing rather than uniforms

regular rest breaks,

juice instead of water to increase fluid intake, ice pops if necessary

seeks shade outside for lessons

Weve shut the whole bloody country down for two years, we can’t start doing it because it’s hot.

My sons school is newly built with huge indoor / outdoor classrooms and shaded areas over the play area, there are several water features and the sandpits are in the shade too. They’ve also been chucking them in the indoor pool at least once a day . So he’s extremely fortunate and I’m not overly worried about him personally. However my old primary school still stands a few miles away barely touched since the 80’s and I know full well that it’s hell on Earth in that greenhouse of misery for those poor souls. For that reason , I’d vote for optional closure - that is the parents who can cope childcare wise to keep theirs off and for those that really need to be there to have their activities limited to things like waterplay and being read to in the shade which is manageable when a sizeable number aren’t there. It’s only a few days but throwing up / fainting at school is traumatic and can really knock their confidence . ( spoken as the fainting girl throughout upper primary ).

@CavernousScream what rot. We don’t have and have never had any of these ‘mitigations’ you list. May be different for you, and it is for us in terms of bushfires and flooding, but actual temperature wise, it’s no hotter here now than it was 60 odd years ago when I went to school. In fact new schools these days have ‘environmental’ designs incorporating natural cooling where possible, none of which existed back then.

Schools in some European hot countries do close in extreme heat. But 30-35 degrees wouldn't necessarily qualify, especially for older kids. Without a uniform children dress appropriately for the weather. Lessons also start and end much earlier in the day. I have never seen schools with aircon for hot weather, it's too expensive to run.

As a short term measure, hot classrooms in England should be ventilated at night and windows covered during the day. Even covering the window panes with tin foil or blankets helps. Head teachers need to relax rules to fit the conditions.

I can't believe the number of posters suggesting schools install air-conditioning. Summers are getting hotter due to climate change, the solution should not be to make climate change worse!
Air con uses more electricity than any other appliance. They consume 10% of global electricity and leak potent planet-warming gases into the atmosphere.

Schools should be getting funding to install ceiling fans and window blinds. Windows should be able to open, so they can be opened fully first thing in the morning to bring in air, then closed tightly once it hits 28 outside.
The school year should be looked at to have earlier starts in summer term and/or adjustments to the summer holiday start/end dates.

These things will not happen by Monday - but what could happen is allowing students to wear summer clothes instead of uniforms, covering windows without blinds with posters or fabric, allowing students and teachers to use the toilet when they need to so they dont worry about drinking plenty of water. Primary students should be encouarged to have water play during breaks.

It's not the running cost, the installation would probably cost millions for most schools and cause massive disruption during the installation. There's also the problem of a proportion of schools will be old and/or listed, so there'd be additional problems getting planning permission and additional costs for ducting etc of schools with thick walls etc.

For a few days per year, it's simply not worth retro-fitting thousands of schools.

Far better to do other things like relax the dress code, allow more breaks and drinking opportunities, etc.

We are not set up for hot weather in this country. Schools in hotter countries have ceiling fans, fully opened windows, cooler flooring (no carpets etc). There I are also many air conditioned places to cool off in.

Even uniforms are tailored and adapted for hot weather

I can't believe the number of posters suggesting schools install air-conditioning. Summers are getting hotter due to climate change, the solution should not be to make climate change worse!

IKR!

I’ll add I’m not saying I’ve never been affected by heat as such. I did a substantial outback stint at one point and took the family as a learning adventure, so they had to join in local schools along the way. Having to work in well over 40 conditions in buildings with no air con or natural cooling design was a challenge on occasion. At times I’d go stand under a shower fully clothed and come back dripping wet to very bemused people. No school was air conditioned, had fans, or indeed an inch of shade. Hot as fuck. I sent the kids to schools as while they were not used to that heat, a hat, sunscreen and water bottle and SPF50 clothing (much to locals amusement) was sufficient. The kids coped fine. Because they had to. Because they were not told there was any alternative other than that. Because they got on with it.

I’m going to assume from the mention of bushfires that you’re in Australia. Average temperatures in Australia have increased decade on decade. Extreme heat events have increased. Australian states have extreme heat plans for schools, which list mitigations. Take your climate change denial somewhere Google doesn’t exist.

Fast forward a few years and these kids who were 'pandered' to land in the workplace.....where many don't have air con, you need to keep working through and there's no option to go home and eat ice lollies!! Don't work then you don't get paid and there's consequences

In fact,no, no need to fast forward a few years....all our 'young people' are calling in sick or behaving like we are asking them to cut off a limb by continuing their job!

This combined with other issues puts me off employing anymore 16/17/18 year old sadly . They can't cope with the real world at all

There are temps from the 70's available!

If it suits your narrative..

It looks like it will be quite a bit hotter than the 1976 heat wave.

@FruitToast its 33 Monday in the Northwest.

Many continental schools have 3 months off over summer, so probably won't even be in school during the hottest months. So it's not really an argument for sending British kids in.

Not related to schools as such but had a video sent through from our HR company explaining that there is no maximum heat because we are industrial and business such as forges exceed temps. What is expected is for companies to take a risk assessment.

Rather than shut schools ask them what the findings of their extreme heat risk assessment is. It may be that the building is cooler than home. My office is definitely cooler than my house - I am working from the office over next two weeks for this reason.

Goodness. There was No aircon where I grew up and we were always open. It was regularly 34/35 degrees. We filled up our water bottles every break. Chairs would have sweat pools when we stood up. We all must have absolutely stunk… anyway, we survived.

This is my memory too. No early finishes etc either

I know what you mean! In my old place of work (NHS), I shared an office with one other colleague. It got so hot that we clubbed together to buy a fan as we were melting and management were refusing to buy fans for staff 🥵 🥵 Then the cheeky buggers tried to walk off with it to put it in reception ‘for the patients’!! I basically told them to f-off and buy their own. I’d labelled it with our names and ‘personal property’ for that exact reason.

It's too hot. It's too wet. It's too cold. There is snow. Can parents refuse to go to work for all these reasons? If so, then shut the schools. But guess what, kids would never be at school!!
If you don't like your job, find another one, otherwise get on with it without complaining. How do other kids manage in Spain or parts of Africa or even Australia? They start school extra early, sleep during the hottest part and then go back to class. Try that...

We've had primary kids in school actually throwing up from the heat this week. Again.

The classrooms were over 32 the past two days with no air flowing through them because we don't have fans/AC, a breeze, etc. It's awful.

No one is learning anything. It's absolutely miserable for them and us.

YANBU at all, OP.

As people have said, it also depends on what you are used to. I grew up on the continent and don't think anything of 30 degree 'heat'. And no, school didn't stop at 1pm or end early June. Nor was there aircon, nor was it particularly well ventilated. We were allowed water fights at break times though! :)
But then, I struggle with the cold and was worried my daughter would be cold when all classroom windows were left open for ventilation last Winter. Other parents didn't seem to care but I guess they are used to cold weather.

It seems that some parents don’t actually care how hot or distressed their kids are in school.- as long as they are in there and not at home!!

Where has anyone said they don’t care? However if you work you also care that school is open during the term time.
What is your suggestion for working parents?