Should schools be closed at 35°C?

[DancingThroughLife02]

Not really an AIBU but looking ahead at the forecast for next week and it’s looking like a scorcher.

I work in a secondary school in a science classroom (which seems to get extra hot during practicals) and we have no fans or AC or anything at all to keep the children cool. Open windows don’t seem to help much. The thermostat in the classroom got above 30°C in the afternoon.

The children need to have their water bottles filled at break times and lunch times only and are not allowed to fill them during lessons - which I disagree with as so many come to me saying that they didn’t get a chance to fill theirs up in the 20 minute lunch break.

Last week I had children saying they were dizzy and feeling sick, and they’re made to go outside during breaks. I’m also not sure that anything I taught them during the extra hot days actually stuck in anyway as they all seemed melted onto the desks.

I know there is a legal lower temperature limit for classrooms/workplaces but maybe with the increasing summer temperatures over the last few years we need to start considering investing in ACs as the heat in summer seems to be more prolonged than a couple hot days and in the meantime consider health and safety of the students (and teachers as even I was beginning to feel a bit dizzy).

I went to school in a Mediterranean country for a year. We didnt close on hot days (although this was 30 years ago) but we did have a long siesta and the buildings were better designed for heat (no walls of glass). We also had no uniform so could dress in suitable clothing, and loads of shaded areas for break times

I still remember that on very hot days I would completely struggle to concentrate in school.

I’d just like for them to not have to wear fleeces and blazers because uniform standards are the most important thing! 🙄🤦‍♀️

@DancingThroughLife02 Two things strike me about your OP (haven't rtft, too darn long now and these have probably already been mentioned) but the school should not be enforcing their strict water bottle-filling time limit regime during a heatwave, nor should they be forcing the pupils to go outdoors on their breaks unless there is sufficient shade available outside.

France is closing schools, Italy has already closed schools for the summer, Spain has got parents raising funds to install air con in schools https://www.52spain.com/d/146473-Heatwave-Crisis-in-Spanish-Schools-Parents-Demand-City-Council-Turn-Off-AC-Greenpeace-Exposes-30-C-Classrooms

Are you a teacher..I’m curious?

No. Adults at work, however…

Children aren’t at risk from anything serious triggered by heat.

If only it was going to Be 35c. The Met Office is now forecasting 39C for London on Wednesday.

"They'll survive"

Another one.

If you're that curious you should be able to find out fairly quickly by reading my posts.

32 is pretty damn hot! Anything much over 27 is.

Not unreasonable, parents /kids should be given the choice.

And should be able to fill up water bottles when rhey need

Do private schools have air-con? And do they stop lessons in heat like next week's?

I suppose most of them have pools and ground with lots of trees. And probably windows that open properly, and buildings that aren't like greenhouses.

I cba going through them all tbh!

I grew up in Vienna and it regularly got into the mid to high 30s and we managed just fine. We're already struggling enough as it is to get kids through an education without trimming another dozen days off each year through heatwaves and snow.

I know 3 children that have had heat related seizures.

not to mention children are more susceptible to heat stroke/exhaustion.

the temps just keep going up and up. Weds was due to be 35 here, I've just looked again and now it's 37. I'm sure I read somewhere we might be upgraded to a red alert in some areas.

It's because glass is cheaper than proper construction. UK has no money for anything these days.

She literally posted evidence from one of the best unis in the world that that is not the case.

I just looked up some of the French forecasts. It's going to be 43 in Bordeaux next week! And 41 in Paris. Jesus.

Thanks I'll tell my heat triggered epilepsy that ☹️

In USA there’s an upper limit for schools. The kids do zoom learning on those days.

What do you mean?

Some parts of my DC’s private school have air con but not all. My DC complains that the school is too hot.

They do, however, have quite a lot of shaded outdoor space.

I am hoping they cancel my DCs geography field trip on Wednesday as it’s going to be far too hot for them to be outside all day.

I’m so torn re the water bottles thing. I’m a teacher (secondary) and my instinct is to let them go and fill their water bottles whenever they like, of course. But please believe me when I say this could lead to half the school roaming the corridors during lesson time, with not enough adults to supervise. What’s the solution?!

Yes. And what do we do about the 12 who don't log on?