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.

There's nothing like the heat of a ward, I agree.

Same! Same age kid, same thinking 🤔

My DD's school do it.

Yes but their schools have cool tiled floors, ventilation systems & air con etc etc

My daughter's school gives them ice lollies every day in this heat?

It's an idea but I'd hate to have to try and get my DC who hasn't slept well due to heat to school for 7.30am.

I think the better response would be to discuss with your class teacher/ the school leadership how you can manage the heat.

If you're waiting for blinds, paper the windows to give some shade - use some of your class's drawings/ a big countdown to the end of term or similar - can either be an activity with the children or something just the teachers quickly do.

If your school has outside shady areas, have a lesson under the trees.

Work out what the school can do to provide frozen 'treats' whether that's room in the budget for buying ice pops/ freezing orange slices from the lunch supplies etc

Have water/ice based lessons/ plan a big water based game for playtime so the kids get wet to cool them down. My school had sports day this week and one of the events involved running a sponge full of water between buckets to see which could transfer the most water - which obviously left all the children soaked, could very easily be adapted to a more sedentary version too involving passing a sponge of water along a chain of children - alternating over heads/ under legs they'll end up even more soaked.

(In addition to all the basics like allowing/ encouraging them to dress appropriately for the heat, reminding them to drink regularly etc).

What about the parents who have jobs? What are they expected to do for these extra couple of weeks.

Do you have 30 people in one room? Generally in hot countries people are acclimatised and also school finishes much earlier in the day

I feel for you all as I know the uk isn’t well equipped for weather extremes.
I don’t think the schools should be closed because I imagine it’d be a nightmare trying to juggle childcare etc.
We get temps here of up to 42° in summer and there are still so many schools without air conditioning and are also poorly ventilated with carpet etc. Thankfully my kids are at air conditioned schools now but prior to this they weren’t. I always sent them with two frozen bottles of water, sun hat, then another bottle of water which had a fan thing on the top which also sprayed water. It’s pretty much what all the kids did. And just loads of watery fruit like watermelon and oranges ect. Parents and teachers also used to take in zooper doopers (ice poles??) for an afternoon pick me up.
Just a couple of ideas there that may help someone’s child. Hope it cools soon for you all.

maybe you should consider relocating to northern ireland i hear they get off for 2 whole months July and august during summer

Lol I work as a TA in a school where the outside air temp is 30+ from about May to October. We don’t have tiled floors (carpets all the way) and my current classroom is in a portacabin. We do have air con but the kids complain they are too cold we switch it off at times during the day.

our school day is moved round so we have shorter breaks, start early and are finished by 1.30. The biggest difference is that we are acclimated to this weather - we (usually!) get a slow lead in over a couple of weeks before the heat really hits, whereas the UK I understand just got similar temperatures to us with no notice.

its not practical to shut schools down for the heat, kids are still learning and I can’t imagine what the parents would do here if we suggested shutting due to hot weather…

increase water intake, send you kids in with two bottles or challenge them to refill their bottle. Tell them not to run around too much at lunchtime, wear a hat and sunscreen (we have no hat no play rule). Lots of watery fruit like melon. T shirt and shorts to school and not long socks. It will pass, and I think you’re still getting cool nights aren’t you? We don’t drop below about 25 at all now until September so there’s no respite. Oh and I’ve no air con at home!!

@FrenchFancie No we're having 'tropical' nights according to the weather forecasters this week, several areas not dropping below 20C at night. I work nights and went out in between client meetings earlier to try and cool down, it's still really warm out there, even in shorts and a t-shirt. Currently 25C in the coolest room of the house.

I think this is where the UK schools needs to change, the Government needs to wake up and do something with the school infrastructure and encourage sun safety. Because keeping kids off school is not a long term solution.

It does not take much, just some minor retrofitting. I went to school in New Zealand (this is only the South Island where there are only a few summer days in the 30s) where my primary school had blinds, fans, opening windows, a water fountain and a verander to eat our lunch.

All children were made to have a regulation sun hat, if it was a hot day and you had no hat you could not play outside, you were forced to sit under the verander all lunch. Tough shit.

Sunscreen was always provided, if it was a hot day and we were outside for prolonged periods of time all children were forced to put on sunscreen.

30 degrees it not that hot. Unusual for the uk yes but I don't think it's that bad. They should shut though so that kids can enjoy the weather!

I haven't RTFT yet, but couldn't leave this uncorrected. They do, actually, at least in the European country I am from.

We have either had shortened lessons all day or a direct cut-off at 12pm, depending on the temperature it was at 10am (if I recall correctly it needed to have exceeded 25C by 10am for this to occur). I remember many a blissful day in summer being allowed to go hoe early, both at primary and secondary level.

I don't think 30 degrees is that extreme of a temperature. Maybe 35 degrees, I can understand closing schools, perhaps just in the afternoon when it's hottest so shut early.
I've worked as at teacher abroad where it was regularly 40 degrees in summer. School was still open and we had no air con, none of the children were harmed!

Yeah ok

And what will us working parents do whilst trying to sustain our employment because you don't want to work in the heat

Children have missed enough school & they are about to start the summer hols.

I think we're going to need to adapt if summers are going to be this hot. Countries which are usually hotter than us have a different structure to their day, usually starting and finishing earlier. We will need to do something like that, because trying to carry on as usual, pretending it isn't happening, doesn't seem wise from a health perspective.

it is expected to be the hottest day on record next week, it is extreme heat.

I don't think the schools should shut. I think the kids should be allowed to wear any shorts and T-shirt.

I had no letter bit DS he can bring suncream. Pointless really. What about hats? Shorts? Poor things.

Should nurseries also close? If my DCs school/nursery decide to close and let me know today/tomorrow/Friday what do I do for childcare whilst I am at work?

30 is manageable at DS’ school, we’re very lucky with the layout. The classrooms all open out onto the playground and have canopies in front of doors. The teachers have been setting up paddling pools and the kids sit with their feet in them reading. They’re set up marquee type things in the playground and yes bought them all ice lollies. This is a primary school obviously. I love our school.

However if it hits 35 next week as forecast I’m keeping DS at home. Just walking the 20 mins home at 3.15 seems crazy in that heat. He can read with his feet in his own paddling pool and nap if need be.

I don’t think they should shut, but I do think PE kit / own clothes, plenty of outside teaching (in the shade), longer breaks and (in a perfect world) some cash for things like window film/fans should be implemented.