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.

It's amazing to think that the Spanish, Greeks, Italians and Portuguese even get an education, with the amount their schools shut down over summer.🙄

The temps are going to be the same wether they’re at home or school.
I’m NHS staff and I have to go to work I’m PPE. I can’t take the day off if the schools close

also for a lot of children (especially those living in high rise flats) , school will be cooler than home

I don’t think shutting completely is the answer. But certainly perhaps slightly shorter school day for KS1 that are the least likely to drink enough and most vulnerable to heatstroke. For older kids just trying to keep them in the shade, hydrated and cool and lower the expectations on both students and teachers that day. Sports days should be cancelled (which my son’s secondary school isn’t doing on Monday which I think is crazy). I do think that businesses and schools are going to have to start having cooling measures in place for future heatwaves as it’s going to get worse each year not better.

This heat is hard for most of us as in the U.K. we just don’t have buildings built for it meaning there’s no escaping it, however I think the focus needs to be on compromises to the school day and work day etc rather than out right everyone stays home.

@GreenestValley

Maybe aircon should become the norm then, like all the countries around the world APART from the UK. Isn’t it obvious why?

I agree OP and I think people that aren’t working with these young children, shouldn’t really have an opinion about it 😂 clearly can’t understand.

They go to school early and finish at midday.

My kids secondary, South East, have just confirmed that they are closing at lunchtime Monday and Tuesday. Due to the way the school day is structured, they will only miss one lesson on each day. And there is provision in place for pupils who are unable to go home at that time. Personally I'm totally good with this decision. I understand that pupils in other countries cope with this weather, but a lot of kids in the UK aren't used to it and have been withering steadily as the days go by, let alone the poor teachers having to look after them.

I have no air con in my classroom, we have two fans going but the kids are boiling and lack concentration. We are asking parents to send them in PE kits next week and reminding them to send hats, sunscreen and water bottles. Last week of term so we are not doing quite so much 'formal' work, changing play times etc .

Workplaces can’t all shut so what are parents supposed to do? They’ve probably already saved their holiday for the school holidays!

As a teacher I’d agree however it’s never going to happen. I just ensure my reception class drink lots and wear a hat. From midday we keep them in.

I have 2 kids, 6 and 8 attending a school in the South East. My eldest is not too bothered by the heat buy my younger son cannot cope at all.
The school have come up with the idea of a 'fun sun day'. All children can wear their own clothes (taking in a spare set of clothes) and the day will consist of water games/fights.
My 2 are really looking forward to it.

Great. Another reason to keep kids off school and destroy their education. And by September we’ll have another covid lockdown—keep up the good work.

@Itsbritneybitch22

"Maybe aircon should become the norm then, like all the countries around the world APART from the UK"

I suspect the idea doing the rounds that most countries have AC in schools apart from the UK may not match the reality.. it certainly isn't in most French schools, probably for the same reasons as the UK - installation and running costs.

The kids here can also work some long days (especially at Lycee) but the system mitigates the effects of hot weather to some extent by knocking off early for summer holidays, although that didn't work so well this year where we had a hot periods in May and June.

One other mitigation is provided by the lack of school uniforms - kids are free to wear clothes that in theory at least is suitable for the weather. They don't have to wait for some edict from the Headteacher before slipping into for example shorts, tee shirts and sun hats etc, but I know some here probably feel that getting rid of school uniforms is a step too far.

Bit melodramatic! Over reacting is not healthy for your blood pressure especially in heat

We no longer shut schools very often for snow, so really the couple of super hot days would be similar to the previous super cold days.

Not a teacher but I was a TA for many years, if that counts? Probably not. 🤣

I work in a primary school and we have fans not air con( dont understand why?) And teaching in the sweltering heat is horrible for both staff and kids. Bare in mind some classrooms are located directly where the sun hits. You have children who find it hard to stay focused. With regards to children in other countries, we have to face fact that we just aren't used to it here. Simple as that. So do feel sorry for everyone come monday and tuesday.

They do - we lived in South East Spain and the schools closed at 1pm normally but coming into summer weather and for a few weeks after the holidays they closed at 12 noon. They also had 4 weeks extra summer holidays.

It’s great that some teachers have adapted. I think we should definitely adapt overall. There is no point if the children can’t concentrate and everyone is suffering.

I'm in the south east and the schools break up on 15 July...I guess that gets round the problem here. People forget that on the continent, schools break up when it's hottest for June and July. Here we seem to wait for the holidays once we're into the cooler side of summer. We probably need to change when we have holidays so it's not so linked to the agricultural calendar.

My kids are at secondary and we have just been informed that they will not be opening school on monday/Tuesday as we are predicted 37 degree heat

We've been given permission, in fact encouraged, not to send our DS in on Monday or Tuesday, he is 14 and has health issues which mean he is in the vulnerable group they warn to stay out of the heat.
Our DC though isn't and school have told everyone else to come in PE kit for Monday-Wednesday (when they have half day and break up for summer).
They have also decided to do sports day staggered from tomorrow, by year group, instead of registration from 8.30 to 10am when it isn't as hot yet.
All week they've had no blazer or tie days, with ties just needed to be worn onto site for safe guarding.
I can't fault them, they've allowed kids to go and refill water bottles at the refill stations in the canteen, hats at lunchtime, and kids without a water bottle have been discreetly given a free bottle to refill.

The Met Office has issued an Amber Warning for next week. This means there is a risk to all members of the public (not just vulnerable people) from the effects of extreme heat. It also means to expect disruption to transport, increased risk of of accidents involving water etc.

Every organisation (including schools) should be looking at their Business Continuity Plans and taking decisions on how to protect staff, services and customers (meaning pupils, patients etc). F

In a word no why would they be any better at home it’s just as hot in the house they aren’t doing much hard work at the end of term. However the one thing is really grating me is senior school children been made to wear full uniform including blazers 😡😡😡

In SE. Found a colleague from Australia dousing themselves in water the other day. When I pointed that out they said its totally different here and not set up for it and utterly oppressive as heat/humidity goes

People forget that on the continent, schools break up when it's hottest for June and July

Not always.

This year French schools were technically still in session until 7th July.

Whilst the Lycee and College students might not all have been attending that late in the year the real youngsters, such as the kids in our village school, were there until the bitter end, which included a hot period in May (30 Celsius max)and several days with it above 38 C in June ....

There was never any question of schools closing, mitigation measures were down to the individual teachers.

For goodness sake its a heatwave for a few days not the end of the world 🤦‍♀️

The bbc is saying it could reach 39 in London on Tuesday, which would be a record for the whole of the uk. So let’s not pretend this is business as usual. I’m sure nothing will happen countrywide and schools will make their own decisions but at the very least I hope implementing air conditioning is thought about for the future. This temperature trend is only going one way.