AIBU to worry about the heat in schools on Monday and Tuesday

[Ihearticecream]

I may be over-worrying but with the weather warnings and it set to be 35c+ on Monday and Tuesday (South East England) am I being unreasonable to be worried? My children really don’t cope well with heat and while at school I don’t see how they can concentrate. Not to mention the staff. Especially the pregnant staff members. There’s no air conditioning, maybe a fan in the classroom and they don’t allow constant access to water (that is another thread).

And I appreciate there are a number of professions where they still have to be suited and booted regardless of the weather but this thread isn’t about that (I salute you!)

If any staff in schools know of any measures they are putting in place that would be great.

#Weshouldhavebrokenupalready

Our primary schools are finishing at 2

I am so sorry! What an absolute joke! All new office buildings have air con as standard! So obviously businesses are allowed to operate high energy consumption but heaven forbid children and teachers are able to work safe and comfortably!
It’s just madness when we have the technology.

If you are able to keep your kids off without it affecting work, do it! I wfh, my 16 year old has left school but I'll be keeping my 7 year old at home. It's too much for them! The heat is so draining!

My daughter came back from school today having only had one cup of water!?

She takes a water bottle but she often doesn't drink much from it, plus someone else today had the same water bottle as her and she now says her bottle is "gone".

Claims she "isn't thirsty" at school and that's why she doesn't drink more. I despair. She's 6 and she was in a right state on the walk home desperate for water, so she must have have been thirsty! Thankfully we only live across the road.

Can I say tho that in the 80s we had just a water fountain at school, no bottles being repeatedly filled and people obsessed with drinking huge amounts of water.

How did we manage without carrying a water bottle everywhere? Did we suffer adverse effects?

Genuine question because the bottled water industry is a big environmental faux pas (all that plastic) but they must be loving the whole “drink 1000 gallons of the stuff a day (and piss constantly) “ message.

(I know people on here get really upset if you question things that are “convention”. Not just upset, they tend to become insulting)

Do we really need to drink shit loads of water? It’s a bit like the 5 a day thing. Invented by marketing men.

Christ I've never seen such hysteria, yes it's hot but people are literally queuing for hours at airports to fly with their kids to even hotter places. Just be sensible, be careful it will all over over in a few days and we will be moaning about rubbish weather.

😆 Remind me again what causes global warming....

We don't want more aircon, we need to find ways to manage without it.

Exactly all those crying out for air con are not thinking it through

Genuine question because the bottled water industry is a big environmental faux pas (all that plastic)

Ours is metal flask type.

There is a fountain. DD didn't use it. She was definitely dehydrated. There's a median ground between drinking sheds loads of water and drinking one cup while at school, especially when running around at playtime.

When I was at school, the lunch time play supervisors used to time us at the fountain and we were only allowed to drink for 5 seconds 😳 it was a little dribble of water, not exactly 5 seconds of glugging.

I know I don't drink enough water from the colour of my wee 🤷🏼‍♀️ and it effects my energy levels all year around, and makes me dizzy in heat if I don't.

Our primary school and it's companion in academy trust are closing. They let us know on Wed and they will accept children who need to be there with no teaching (they suggested who had working parents who can't get leave/WFH but knowing the school and how they managed lockdown I'm certain they would discreetly allow those who would struggle at home). They explained they won't open kitchen and cooking heat is increasing temperatures so those that do go in its cold lunch only.

This week and next they had already allowed non uniform and staff in casual cooler clothes, they always do this in very high temperatures.

It all seems well thought out, they communicated reasons (children already coming in overtired as can't sleep etc). School has a reputation for being very caring to both children and staff.

I did think it would be funny if after all the preparation forecast turned out wrong.

I’m not overly worried about my 5 year old in school it’s the pick up in the afternoon stressing me out. It’s a 10 min walk each way if I go by myself but have 3 year old ds2 with me and it takes half an hour each way with him. 1 hour feels like a long time to be out in 37 degree heat with a 3 year old and a baby 😖

The school ds used to attend are being very sensible

"Due to the expected heat wave on Monday and Tuesday we are planning the following measures:
Students will wear PE kit on both days
Y12 students have been given the option to work from home or use study for the whole week
Only cold/grilled food will be served on both days
Duke of Edinburgh has been postponed by 24 hours,
We will be reviewing this at the end of Monday if needed and notify any changes"

I will most likely keep my children off as our home (especially downstairs) stays very cool in the heat and we have a paddling pool too. My children’s school is very understanding though. I kept them home when it was 34 degrees too and they supported my decision. My children don’t manage that well in the heat though even with all the normal precautions (I don’t either!)

Red warning has now been issued for large parts of England.

My children's school have cancelled sports day, just as well as they go to an athletics track with almost so shade.

My kids school have emailed to say they are closed Monday and Tuesday due to the weather.

On holiday most sit around all day with access to sea or pools. And everywhere has aircon. Incredibly different to doing your usual day here with extreme temp way higher than the average holiday, no aircon etc and far higher humidity than mainland Europe. Our infrastructure isn’t used to it. Also those at risk of heat don’t tend to holiday in said hot places. I keep hearing people ´mention 1976 when the high temp was 35 not the 40 plus predicted. 20% more excess deaths in 1976 summer. A special minister for drought. They didn’t just crack on

Every child at our school has a reusable bottle and more than half use ones that aren’t plastic. Your complaint about single use plastic is odd when hardly any kid uses single use bottles.

@Metrette Exactly! Here we all use reusable bottles which we take everywhere.

This is a big concern for me too! Pick up has been incredibly hot for several weeks and will be unbearable on Monday and Tuesday.

We are very lucky in that I could keep them cool at home.

My school is sending kids home at 12.15. Those who can’t get home will be supervised in our air conditioned IT rooms

That is so lovely! This is how it should be.

I love the non uniform and casual clothes on hotter days too.