AIBU to think school closures ignore parents' work commitments?

[OhNoItsThePinkyPonk]

AIBU to think that the school doesn’t take much account of parents’ need to work? Primary school have just announced they won’t be opening for the rest of the week, but it’s OK because they’ll be sending us online work for us to do with the children, and whilst they are sorry they have had to cancel sports day we shouldn’t be too upset because they’ve have rescheduled it for a couple of weeks time. Like, I totally get they have to put the safety of the children first and if it’s too hot it’s too hot, but what do they think I’m
doing when the kids are at school, preparing beautiful dinners, ensuring the craft box is topped up, pining wistfully for the moment they come home? FFS, my job obviously comes second to my children and of course I’ll cancel planned surgeries and clinics where I need to. It’s not the emergency that bothers me, it’s the blasé way in which it’s communicated as though it’s a
minor inconvenience, not a major major f’ing headache with serious second and third order effects.

phew, that’s better. Now to go and get the little darlings…

Do you think school staff aren’t parents? We are faced with the same issues as the rest of the working population! In some cases worse, because teachers and term time workers cannot just book a day off. So trust me, we understand what juggling childcare is like just as much as anybody else.

Every new school needs to have solar on the roof installed and an AC system set up linked to that.

Also stop using so much glass in the architecture!

I don't know why every time something like this happens people tend to question why the school doesn't consider the parents work and adapt by they question is never why don't employers consider childcare commitments?

Schools duty of care of care is to the children and staff not parents employees. Of course they know it's inconvenient for some parents. Remember that teachers are parents to and are well aware of the inconveniences of schools/nurseries closing. My school is staying open whilst my daughters nursery is closing at lunchtime and my DH is abroad for work until Saturday. I have zero family nearby, literally no one we can call on to help. That's a huge inconvenience for me. Luckily for me my school understands and is willing to make adjustments to accommodate parents in this position.

I think the work culture needs to change first.

It doesn’t need to be for key workers. Just those who opt to come in.

I've never worked in a school with any AC. I'm in the Midlands and we've needed it every year for the past few years. There are at least 2 weeks every year where it's over 25 degrees in the classroom and it's obvious children's learning is affected. I think we've just all reached a stage of accepting schools are wholly inadequate instead of questioning why it's acceptable to put children in such buildings every day.

We had several complaints today about being open....

The trust i work for have sort have done that. Its basically you can go home at lunch, but if you cant we are open and can watch the children (including secondaries) then the hope is enough want to go home so its cooler for those left and they can go to places like library and hall. Im not a teacher so not sure if work is being set or it will be do your homework.

So did mine! They were very apologetic but I saw the state of my DS when he came out at 3 and the red alert hasn't even commenced. We also have the issue that a lot of the teachers have children at other schools so there was a bit of a domino effect.

This didn’t happen in 1976 !
However, the schools were mainly old Victorian buildings that seemed to stay fairly cool

Haven’t read the full thread but… why do schools assume that homes are cooler than schools? And that children are aged at home in the heat than in schools?
Should there be an option of coming into school during the heatwave depending on what is more tolerable for the child, if safe guarding is the concern?

School is not free childcare. If your child’s health is at risk, it is absolutely your job as a parent to keep them safe at home.

However, I do think it is a joke that in 2026 schools are so antiquated that children are having to go home. Of all the things we should be plugging money in to, it should be our future.

Our school have offered optional early pick up after lunch every day this week. School is open and wrap around ect will function as normal. It was 35 degrees here at 2.30 this afternoon and has only just dropped to 33 degrees. They emailed yesterday afternoon at 2pm

There was a lot of scrambling around in our group chat last night for childcare swaps and playdate afternoons. Lots of parents are in the office today, Wednesday and Thursday and have mandatory office days. Others were WFH. My friend had booked a desk in the office to work as it had Aircon, another of my friends has mandatory days in the office. A few work for the NHS and prison services and cannot just drop or swap shifts with a days notice.

There were a lot of roped in grandparents, great grandparents and aunts and uncles at pick up today. Lots of parents picking up multiple friends children. According to my friend whose child had to stop due to no childcare there were 8 children this afternoon who stopped. She's currently frantically trying to get her family to cover Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as her child is very upset he was left at school and has come out of school very hot and uncomfortable.

I think the issue isn't the closing of schools for hot weather, it is the sheer lack of support network most parents have when they need to find childcare at very short notice. Lots of people live miles away from relatives. Barely anyone can afford a SAHP to cover something like this. Workplaces are only so flexible. There is very little to almost 0 term time childcare scheme parents can use at a moments notice. Whilst schools are not childcare, almost everyone and everything works on the assumption that a child will be in school Monday - Friday 8.30/ 9-3/ 3.30 during term time. With many schools offering wrap around to cover the 8am-5.30 core hours.

I do understand if they close. However they can f off if they think I'm doing online learning with them, I will be working!

But family homes don't have air-conditioning and they will be just as hot, if not hotter than the school (think 7th storey, 2 bed flat in Central London).

Usually, all the key dates are on the school calendar on the website, which no-one ever checks, and then the short notice email is the reminder.

You know nothing that happened in the pandemic was as a result of anything a teacher said, right? Plus we were trying to save your child’s life. Believe me, teaching in person is a fuck ton easier than online…

in a family home you have more options to cool your children down, cold baths/showers, paddling pools in the shade, lying down in the coolest room etc etc it’s not just about aircon! It’s about preventing heat stroke.

Teachers are educators not babysitters. Many parents seem to assume that

👍🙄 I was waiting for this 🤣🤣

And it was neither as hot nor as humid. Totally different situation. The highest temperature in 1976 was 35.9 and that was a one off in one place (Cheltenham).

My home is definitely not hotter than my classroom, and my home doesn't contain 30 sweaty kids who are meant to be learning Pythagoras.

At home, my kids can flop on the sofa, stick their feet in a basin of water, eat an ice lolly and basically do fuck-all. No one is forcing them to pretend that any worthwhile learning is taking place.

Homes don't have 32 teenagers packed into small rooms with no blinds and non opening windows usually.

If there is no childcare..... Sorry wrong word.. education.. how does the average family pay their bills, as lets be honest two parents have to work in most areas of employment now just to pay bills. School is education but it also acts as childcare allowing parents to work and contribute to society!

Ok so then you can pay for air con in said childcare as kids and staff getting ill due to overheating is totally unacceptable and not going to be tolerated however much you want it to be.

I don't think there's many homes that have air con 😂. It's hot at school... oh wait.. it's hot at home too. How are people coping in hospitals and care homes? Not much choice there. If some parents don't work, they lose their pay, they may also lose their job.

Who do you think fund the schools if not working parents?