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.

Oh, and I kept the lights off, the board off as much as possible and my laptop whenever possible too as they all generate heat.

We have no fans in school but I did my best and children were still suffering today. So I am worried about next week.

This is not because I am a snowflake or want a day off. (I did not have a single day away from school for all of Covid either).

But people dismissing it as "just get over it" are distressing me. I am responsible for the health of 30 precious children and want to get it right. Why are teachers being pilloried for their concern yet again?

Even if we are told to close I will be in school (school office). I will be in school for several days after the end of term and before the beginning of next term too - regardless if the weather.

The teaching staff will be in more than me.

@OchreDandelion this in spades!

3 vomited and 2 fainted today. Was 38 degrees with blinds shut, lights off and 5 fans going.
Hands up who works in an office with 30 people in a space built for 25 with no opening windows and a door onto a corridor.
No one is learning, far too much sweat to hold a pen. Deduct my pay, frankly could not care less. I'm not going in as my Dr has signed me off due to my blood pressure.
Oh and covid is rampant.

@mumsneedwine Yes, but were they wearing sunscreen and hats? Because apparently that will fix everything.

"Get the fans on,"

What fans would they be, then? None in my school at all.
I'm surprised at how many parents on here are willing to send their children into an environment that will in many case resemble a tin box sauna, happy to believe the notion that wearing PE kits will fix everything.

What happns if you are sending the children home to a more severe environment??

@CallmeAngelina 😂😂 it's like covid doesn't transmit in schools all over again. Teachers, we think we are so special when in fact we are just babysitting pond scum. Stop moaning and just deal with the kids fainting and puking because it's so ridiculously hot. Don't parents like their children ???

@Moomieboo what do you do for CIN ? Because as safeguarding officer I do a lot. Stopping them puking is one of my responsibilities.

Wearing a hat will sort all problems. Wtf

@felineweird ?

Like we do every evening, weekend and holiday? The upcoming six week one, for example?

Unless you are arguing for 24/7 school, school cannot be the go-to solution to children in unsafe homes. That problem needs tackling in a different way.

If you're talking about kids in hot homes, then they can go outside in the shade where it is cooler than many classrooms. Or the air conditioned supermarket.

Good choice. These will keep the heat (or cold) out.

@RaleighDurham sorry - my point was how absurd it is that some people actually think that

@Justdontgetit000

We ordered some, I had already seen them for winter and was panicking about winter a few days ago.... brought the order forward!

Im my high school we have a large shaded area that could shelter the whole school.

inside, my room is ok as it doesn't get the sun until the afternoon and i have fully working blinds. But we have two floors of classrooms that are unbearable every summer. Even at 22 degrees. With Windows that only open an inch.

with my ds’s primary school, theres not one bit of shaded area outside.

the issue we are repeatedly finding, with covid, with heatwaves, with rising pupil numbers, with children and staff with medical / physical needs, with sen, with toilets, with lack of offices for all the new roles, lack of classrooms, with running costs, is the same. School buildings are not fully fit for purpose.

I had a look and in 1976 the temperatures went up to 35c

That was the peak, not the sustained temperature (other than at Heathrow) - other parts on England did reach 35, it not everywhere every day in a row

And I agree that 30, as per thread title isn't high enough to automatically trigger closures.

But the forecasts are for a whole 5 degrees hotter than that, and I do think that part of the RED warning should be an obligation on certain orgaisations to review their safety in extreme heat (look at how the French slashed their excess heat-related deaths by taking that approach)

I can't tell you how tempted I am to print out this thread for the kids to review on Monday. In a world where we were allowed to do such things I'd have them pick the top 10 most stupid ideas and we'd try them out, film the experience and post it along with their feedback.

I think the taping black bin bags to the windows (obviously whilst keeping the lights off because they generate heat) is one of my favourites. 30 teenagers sat in wet hats could be a good visual too. Sadly we're not allowed to show you the reality of our lives in the classroom which is a shame as it might disillusion some of the bizarre ideas people have of what schools, and indeed kids in school, are like.

I might just read them out some of the ideas and get them to write their responses and share them with you on here instead. Something to do whilst we're all pointlessly suffering in my classroom on the third floor with an entire wall of west facing windows on Monday. It would be good for them to understand why they are being punished with such torturous pointlessness. Let them know what demographic their miserable day is satisfying.

It would also be interesting to have us all take a covid test 48hrs after we spend the day gaffa taped into a bin bag lined classroom with 30 other people every hour.

How about 1000 kids fighting to have their lesson under the shade of the one available tree?

Kids diligently applying suncream to sit in a 40 degree+ classroom.

No one would give a monkey's though, as we will have broken up by then and it won't affect people's childcare issues,

Some of the suggestions on here are making me think fondly back to Lockdown 1 and the gazebos and water buckets thread.
Although there probably are people who might think that 30 buckets full of cold water for kids to put their feet into might solve all our current problems. Would give us a whole raft more problems, mind, but as long as those classrooms are open, eh?

There actually was a teacher posting about bringing in water trays for the kids' feet.

Why aren't you doing that, eh? Do you hate kids?

Our school has very sensibly decided to cut 10 minutes off every lesson and send kids home at half one. Any kids needing to stay will be moved to our few air conditioned classes.

Then it should be reported to social services who intervene, I guess.