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.

I assume teachers will be having a days pay deducted from their payslip to enjoy their day off in the sunshine ??

I'd imagine they'll be asked to run Google Classroom or similar so instead of sunning themselves, they'll be doing a full day's work - maybe they shouldn't get paid for that as "it isn't proper work" 🙄

We had to close our year group "bubble" last summer for the last week of term, due to a child testing positive (seems strange now, but those were the rules).
We dutifully set daily work on Google Classroom, putting quite a lot of effort into making activities appropriate and fun. Not one single child (out of 60) completed any of it.

I gave a very similar answer many posts ago, not enough apparently. I don't think anything is to be honest.

Yes, we found much the same but if we hadn't set work we would have been accused of being lazy and not doing our jobs - Everybody knows we only work from 9 to 3 and have 13 weeks' holiday 😅

There is way too much teacher bashing on Mn but some schools don’t help themselves by continuing to expect children to be in school uniform in the hot weather and to penalise those who don’t comply.

UK school uniform (and many PE kits) are totally ridiculous and impractical but to expect it to be wore in this weather is a totally failure by teachers and schools.

If my DC were still at school, they would attending in on uniform cotton shorts and T-shirts with a hat.

UK school uniform (and many PE kits) are totally ridiculous and impractical but to expect it to be wore in this weather is a totally failure by teachers and schools.

Teachers don't generally get a say in whether it's blazer weather or not, btw. I agree that schools who have not relaxed uniform should be considering what the point of that is.

My school has had them in PE kit for a while now. They're still hot and sweaty and finding it difficult to concentrate though.

I will happily be corrected if schools are, but with everything in place for virtual lessons from when we were in lockdown why aren’t schools suggesting this as it doesn’t appear to be the case.

Why don’t teachers get a say (my DT’s went to a non uniform school so don’t understand the system) - aren’t you in charge of the class? If it’s the Head, parents and teachers challenge !

Many PE kits aren’t much better - either nylon or polyester - everyone send your DC’s to school in a loose T-shirt and cotton shorts with a hat or baseball cap. Lots of water bottles and a damp towel for around their necks. You can also get fans to hang around your neck.

"why aren’t schools suggesting this"
Because, contrary to popular belief,closing the buildings and switching to Home Learning is an absolute last resort. You can see on this thread alone the sort of response it would get. I suspect they're waiting until it becomes clear (or not) that there is just no way they can safely operate - for the children, BUT ALSO FOR THE STAFF, for whom it is their place of work and they are therefore entitled to the same basic Health & Safety requirements as other workers even though we saw none of that during the Covid months.

Why don’t teachers get a say

Because we don't run the school?

I certainly allow kids to take blazers off in my classroom (tell them not to even bother asking), and ties off too if it's hot, but I can't tell them to come in in PE kit.

I’m not looking for an argument @CallmeAngelina nor am I trying to be provocative, I want to know. My initial response when I heard about schools closing was that it was ridiculous but reading comments I can see why the decision has been made and support it. You say closing the buildings and switching to home learning is the last resort but that’s where I thought it was. Except the children are being sent home but nothing else. If a teacher and TA are in a classroom or at home delivering online lessons how is that different from any other worker in an office without air-con (like mine, which is smaller than a classroom and there are 3 of us in there next week) or WFH? This is a sincere question. Some parents are frustrated as they will be having to let colleagues down due to their children’s school closing as well as having to make up the lost hours at work in time, leave or financially.

@GretaVanFleet , I'm afraid I don't get your point.
"Except the children are being sent home but nothing else."
But children aren't being sent home (as a general rule)? We have been told that it is not necessary and that we can all function fine in classrooms.
And yes, I would be quite happy to have the privilege of working from home (using Google Classroom) as other sectors are able to, as it would give more flexibility to remain cool than being stuck in a poorly-ventilated classroom that will inevitably be in excess of the high temperatures forecast, at close proximity to 30 other bodies.

@GretaVanFleet are the schools not breaking you this week where you are? Most schools will be doing end of term activities which just aren't able to be replicated online. The wind down (as far as the children are concerned, as the events and activities are hard work for the staff) has begun. Online teaching is not as vital or easy to make appropriate at this point in the year. And it's almost certain that the kids and parents at home in this temperature will not be motivated to sit at a computer, especially when many of them will be very disappointed that their trip/sports day/leavers event isn't happening.

The teachers will still be working though. It's a really busy time for them outside curriculum delivering. Some of those in primary will be moving classroom, and they'll be a lot of end of year practical stuff to do, like clearing displays and gathering work together to send home, or planing and resourcing the classroom for their next year's class. It really is an intense week, so no-one will be skiving off.

Thank you @dragonflyglaze

My school is in a deprived area and many of our pupils have no access to online learning.

Why don’t teachers get a say (my DT’s went to a non uniform school so don’t understand the system) - aren’t you in charge of the class? If it’s the Head, parents and teachers challenge !

Education is very hierarchical. I am fortunate to work in a school where the Head values and listens to the opinion of staff (not always the case!) but even so, they are very much in charge and decisions such as allowing students to come into school in PE kit or not are absolutely not up to individual Teachers.

Education is very hierarchical

Yep. I suspect for many parents whose last experience of schools was when they were pupils, it might come as a surprise that class or subject teachers are not all-powerful! I'm sure it world have seemed that way back then! But there are so many levels of management (that go beyond even the Headteacher, to the LEA, academy trust or governors) that your average teacher has no influence on this kind of decision. Especially when it comes down to whether to close a school.

From reading this thread and other similar ones, regarding the relaxing of uniform rules, there are some Heads who aren’t fit for their role.
Stupid for children to go to school in uniform (or those disgusting nylon PE kits) in this weather. Hopefully those schools will receive lots of complaints from parents and negative Osted reports.

Yes...you're being extremely stupid 🤦‍♀️

there are some Heads who aren’t fit for their role.

There's an extreme shortage of headteachers as well as teachers. If a school manages to ditch a bad one, they usually have no problem in finding a job elsewhere.

There’s also the question of the journey home from school during the middle of the afternoon. That to me is the main reason I’m considering keeping my kids home from school on Monday now that the forecast has risen to 40 degrees. Not many people seem to be mentioning this (sorry if I’ve missed it).

I taught in Germany for 14 years...and yes, temperatures REGULARLY exceeded 40 degrees where I lived and worked. However, children started school at 7.45am and finished at 1pm...and broke up for a very long summer at the end of June. You simply cannot compare 'schools in Europe' with our set up in the UK!

its heatwaves and minus weather that we love home education

we love it all year around but appreciate it way more in these circumstances

my 11 y old(should be y6)has been in pants indoors with a fan on

its supposed to be 33 on the 18th and 35 on the 19th we have zero planned but stay in with our industrial 6 ft fan and air conditioning boxes

my nephew is y7 and hes said twice this week 2 pupils haver fainted as the uniform rules are strict
they have to wear full uniform and if they take their thick blazer off they get dentation

all the parent are moaning and on about not sending them next week as they break up on Thursday anyway but the head have got wind of this and threatened fines as hes going to take it as unauthorised holidays

Thank you @JoanOfAllTrades 🙂

Oh that’s fantastic @PaperTyger - yes the good thing about these is that they seem like they’ll help in both warm and cold weather! I only have flimsy blinds that don’t do much.
Have ordered some of these 😍

We are!!! But as is usual, the academy executives are ignoring us (whilst they stay home or golf…it’s a very typical situation, now that schools are run by ‘men in suits’ and NOT teaching staff!!)

We literally have no autonomy…can’t even shit without having three days worth of red tape to plough through ☹️