AIBU to think school should re think the half day closure?

[Letbartletbebartlett]

I’ve copied below the message we just received from school. AIBU to think they should re think having the kids in until midday and then expect them to travel home - hottest part of the day? (It’s a senior school.)

Last night we had a message to say PE Kits all week, which was welcomed. The weather warning was still Amber then.

But now our area is in the middle of the upgraded red warning.

More or less 40 degree heat.

The school is semi rural. Most kids travel in by various school buses or by train - station is 10 mins walk from school.

So based on this, on Wednesday (Concertina Day) rather than use the now tried and tested method of TEAMs teaching, the kids are going into school in the morning and travelling home in the height of the mid day sun. When the red warning means often transport will be disrupted.

Or parents will be picking up, on a day when we’re told to only travel if necessary.

I realise school is necessary but surely, common sense should prevail? Surely they are better at home with less bodies so less heat?

And don’t get me started on the fixed time they have to fill up water bottles in a heat wave. I realise kids can be shits and the messing about must be awful/time consuming/frustrating and just rude, but I think sticking to the same rigid times for filling up water in 40 degrees as it is when it’s 0 degrees is poor.

The message …

Dear Parents and Carers,

Following our message on Friday - an update on our hot weather preparations. Students are expected to attend school as normal and we are making adjustments to support students during the next few days.

A reminder, due to our concertina day this Wednesday we finish at 1pm on this day for students as previously advised.

• Students are permitted to wear PE kits in school until further notice. We expect this to be until Friday the 26th of June. We will update you when this changes.

• We are providing more indoor spaces at lunch time for students to eat comfortably and shelter from the sun.

• Strenuous activities like football will not be permitted at lunch time for a small number of days to avoid the risk of heat related exhaustion.

• PE, Science and Food are adapting their lessons to minimise the impact of heat - and some alternative rooms are being used in the school for our classrooms most exposed to the heat to make students and staff as comfortable as possible.

• Please ensure your child has bottled water - they can fill this up at the start of the day, break and lunch.

Thank you for your time

I always find it’s hotter in the afternoon around 3 or 4 o’clock. Maybe that’s just where I live in London?

I see what you're saying but it does seem to be hottest about 4pm at this time of year

It sounds like before the heatwave there was already an expectation that the day finished at 1pm. Is that the case?

Can you please clairfy the specific problem for your circumstances and what is your preferred outcome?

You think, what, 2hrs without access to a tap is too rigid? How much do your kids sweat?!

I feel like ultimately 12pm or 3pm it’s going to be extremely hot for the next couple of days. So either go to school as normal or don’t go at all. For me the half days are the most inconvenient and disruptive.

Yes, the half day has been in the calendar for months.

The problem relates to the kids having to walk 10 mins to a station in heat of the day (and the trains may not then be running anyway according to weather warnings re transport). Why not have lessons from home that morning? On a Wednesday the school day starts later anyway (9.05 rather than 8.35).

Its better than nothing , I think school should be cancelled altogether.

It's not hottest at midday - outdoor temperatures peak around 3-4pm due to the thermal inertia of the earth's surface (the air is heated by the ground, not by the sun). Heat accumulates in classrooms over the day too. This is why schools in hot countries typically end in the early afternoon.

Our school (also rural) is doing half days this week and the bus schedules, both the dedicated school buses, and the public bus that runs to the school in the morning and afternoon, have adjusted their timings.

Just keep your child home then.

If at home, yes they probably wouldn’t fill up their bottles more than that. But in school, surrounded by hundreds of others, in classrooms that, let’s face it, weren’t built for extreme temps, then yes, they probably would need more to stay hydrated. Added to this is the fact you’ve got 600 kids all having to fill up at the same time from only a few fountains that are very slow. It’s a strict school, as soon as that bell has gone, you have to go to class regardless if you’ve spent the previous 15 mins queuing up (I use the example of break time food queues rather than fountains but they will impose the same rules).

I'm sure they will be fine walking 10 minutes - even in the heat

Train maybe not running, well that can be investigated surely?

They would be better starting school earlier like 7 until 11

Yes, the school buses have been adjusted. But the trains won’t for obvious reasons.

Ok, so I’ve learnt something there, the heat is hotter later on. But what about the sun? Isn’t it highest and therefore stronger at midday? Genuine question, coz if I’m wrong, I’ll vote myself as being unreasonable! I always thought midday sun was stronger.

Train not running - yes a parent whose kids have used the trains for 10 years to get to various senior schools, we are used to checking the trains as they aren’t reliable even in the most serene of weather. Checking it isn’t the issue, it’s the inconvenience when the app changes 3 mins before it’s due to say cancelled (regular occurrence) and then having to go out on a 45 mins round trip to pick them up. Walking ten mins - my kids are hardy. But even I think 40 degrees is a but hot to walk in even for 2 mins! You of course are entitled to your different opinion.

I may do. For years I’ve been in the mind set that others know better but I do think on this occasion, if the forecast tells me on Wed morning it’s going to be as hot as they say, I will keep them at home. One will be missing Dance and Food Tech and the other will be missing PE and Food Tech.

If this is stressing you out, just don't send them in. Seriously.
Schools are criticised if they keep open, if they close, if there's an early finish, whatever.
I think that communication from the school is actually very sensible.
Just let them stay at home.

Hottest part of the day is now towards late afternoon early evening. This is our predicted temperatures on Wednesday. As you can see it’s about 32 at 12 but 37 around 4/5pm with hires day being even hotter and 37 from 1pm (38 from 2-5).

while the sun is strongest at ‘solar boo’ I he temperatures continue to rise which means the highest temperatures are later in the day (normally 2-5)

ETA image won’t load

I wouldn't be keeping my kids at home, life goes on even in a heatwave. I also don't see the problem with the water situation, if you're that worried then send them with 2 water bottles.

Don’t get me wrong, I think if still the amber warning, then yes, sensible. But not now we are at a red.

Thank you.

They do take two in on days they have PE/dance or hotter weather.

Yes, you are correct, the sun is at it highest and strongest at local noon (which is not the same as 12am, due to timezones, daylight savings etc). So some sort of a hat might be in order.

70s we didn't have water bottle. You queued at the water fountain. When it was your turn, you filled your cupped hands with water and that was that. Reading these "heatwave" threads, I really think Western civilisation is now doomed.

As I wrote about the water bottles, I did think about that clip of Hugh Grant when he explains hat he can’t stand and one of them is the fact his kids “cart after across London” to go to school!

That said, I think we probably know more now (or at least the general populations does) about the importance of hydration. I say that given the 70s, the decade in which I was born, was also the decade that the Doctor told my mum to drink Guinness to help her absorb more iron when she was pregnant with me.

Someone also posted on another thread that this is a “weather event” within a heatwave. As opposed to just a heatwave. Although I am a bit confused by that!

Fine, keep them off.