Shall I keep my child off tomorrow

[anon2334]

School is still open. Headteacher is very strict, too much. They will do an unauthorised absence for tomorrow. Mt child has sensory issues and has been diagnosed, I suspect more but no diagnosis for that year 4 and goood attendance so surely can't get into much trouble for this. Im in South East where it'd being predicted 40c + car journey and my air con doesn't work. What would you do ?

I have backed and forthed over this over the weekend. At lunch time today it was about 27°C here and seemed manageable; at about 4pm though it has gone up to 31°C and quite humid. It is definitely uncomfortable and DS2 really felt the change. If it stays this humid, they will be staying off. If they don't sleep well, they will be staying off. Both at secondary -eldest finished GCSEs now so just the younger 2-so would usually walk to and from, so that adds another problem because of the time they finish.

School has form for making really poor decisions in the heat (eldest put outside in enclosed courtyard in full midday sun as one of school mates tested positive for COVID. He came home sunburnt, so I am not over flowing with confidence heat exhaustion or stroke would be recognised quickly enough.

We will re evaluate in the morning, I guess.

I really don't get why your asking randoms on a chat forum
just Make a decision
send or don't send
what other people are doing with their children is irrelevant

Call in and say the heat is giving them a headache and keep them off for the day or 2.

Why are some posters being so rude to the OP?

There’d be no posts on MN if people weren’t asking for opinions/reassurance etc.

Check your local authority website and local press, the lists of schools closing are growing steadily, many academy school have already announced closure or closing early on both days.

I’m keeping mine off and we are not in the red zone. I picked up a sweaty emotional mess of a child on Friday. The teacher told me it was grim in the class room. I’m a health care professional and give a lot of health promotion advice so as I can keep them off I will.

There will be parents who who absolutely can not arrange childcare at short notice and would love to keep their kids off but can’t and lots who have kids that are adaptable and don’t struggle in the heat.

each to their own - you do you!

And there is no bloody way I’d be driving a car with no air con with an outside temp of 40+

My 10 year old will be staying off Monday and Tuesday as she finds heat unbearable (even normal summer is a bit much) she’s autistic and has sensory issues. She’s struggles to stay inside the school building due to the stench of school dinners and the classes all eating them in their classrooms. Her playground has zero shade and is concrete.
I think keeping her off knowing she will have a lot of behaviour linked to not coping with heat makes it easier for the staff to concentrate on the children that are there in this heat and it’s one less hot stressed body in the building 😂

We are very lucky to have a house that is half underground (on a hill) so feels like we have aircon even though we don’t. It will be cool and she will be calm.

The school will be chilled about it as they know the heat where they are (in town, lots of concrete, no shade) will be ridiculous and they know she won’t cope.

Sounds like your child’s school are more ‘attendance at all costs’ but learning from home in extreme temperatures (for the Uk) should be a reasonable adjustment if you have a child diagnosed special needs.

Op I would ask why it's an ua at rheir school when at many others people are given a choice??

And it's authorized
What will they do if your dd collapsed etc.

Keeping DD12 off tomorrow. No way is she going to a school that don't give a crap about their kids, has no way of keeping them cool and has one broken water fountain....

With a rucksack full of books. On a hot bus. In temperatures hotter than the holiday in Tenerife I just got home from.

They kindly made a concession for the kids to wear their BLACK heat absorbing pe kits.

If they decide to fine me I will take legal action against them.

If you know he struggles with the heat, there is little point in setting him up to fail.

Well surely that is the very nature of a chat forum, to canvass opinions?
Honestly scroll on by it it bores you.

Do what’s right for your child. 😊. I’m currently working on ideas to keep 32 year 5’s cool all day. They can’t learn if they’re overheated… and health comes first. I’m sure all teachers would agree (and that includes our own health)

Bit annoying now isn't it? Just keep him off. Or don't. Doesn't need ANOTHER thread starting.

Better to be safe. Rail companies and TfL are advising people not to travel unless essential. You might find the Headteacher closes the school on the day.
Your call.

Off you trot…others are discussing it because they want to. Surely it’s too hot to be moaning and policing threads?

FYI unauthorised absence means nothing unless it happens regularly. Do what you feel is right.

Flipping heck 40? I’m in the south east and it’s predicted 30 her tomorrow!

My dd 10 ..tomorrow is her outdoor learning day,,,ffs! Its still on and she is desperate to go. I will bathe her in sun cream stick a hat on her and wait till lunch when they give me the call to collect her cos she can;t cope with the heat!!! Thing is as its the last week of term here there is so much fun things going on my dd would hate to miss any of it,Going to be a trying few days all round I reckon. Sleep on it OP and see how things feel in the morning.

If you are having to ask the question on MN, you should probably send DC in.

There won’t be many fun things as our school is absolutely boiling! After being locked up all weekend and an extra 10c it will be ‘sit still with water !’

Greater London is predicted 40 now hey are saying 42 on Tuesday!!

So rude. That's what this group is for. I net you are a right lovely person away from hiding behind your screen. Not

I know that's what I find weird but the head closed last minute during the storm February. Every school around us closed night before! They are super strict rhats why im not sure as my child needs come first but honestly they are more hellbent on attendance

Heads are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.Tomorrow we will have complaints whichever way the Head goes. You have to make your own decision. Mine are now adult but I wouldn’t send them in if I could stay home. School buildings have no air con and grounds have limited shade. All those hot little bodies and they will not keep still on the playgrounds because they naturally want to run about.