To think closing schools or making them "optional" during the heatwave is putting pressure on working parents and is just a bit silly?

[Suchevilforebodings]

This doesn't actually effect me directly as neither of my children's schools have closed.
But some of the schools iny area are either closing or are making school optional IE: it won't be marked as absence.
I mean.... Really? Do kids actually need tome off because it's hot?
And is it fair on working parents to send out an email the day before to say school is closed? This heatwave was forecast last week.
Even making it "optional" puts the pressure on as the kids will want to stay off and many of their friends will be.
I just think it's bullshit tbh

It’s not an exaggeration!!!! Trust me, it’s just horrendous and I’m staggered some parents want to put their children though it for their convenience.

Bully for you. Buildings and heat levels differ.

What would you do if you had 31 people in your living room, it had at least one wall of windows that don’t open and no air con? Would you think that a safe environment for yourself or your children?

I think making it optional is fine. Then if people can’t be at home to care for their kids then they can still go in.
Closures also fine, as long as people accept a reduction in other services due to parents not being able to go to work due to being at home with their kids. There’s another thread complaining about a Tesco delivery being cancelled, but if schools are closed then things like that are bound to happen as a lot of parents won’t be able to go to work.
We’re in a red area and schools aren’t closed. Independent school, no air con. They can go in their PE kit and all sports are cancelled but otherwise carrying on as normal. My kids have said that they had normal lessons and it was ‘fine but hot’.

My 8byear old autistic son refuses to drink his water bottle at school, he only manages a fruit shoot at lunch. Also he won't wear shorts. I'm not sending him in to get heatstroke

When you become a parent you accept the responsibility of providing them with an education. The majority of parents choose a school setting for this as it is a free (at the point of sevice) option and provides a safe space for learning to take place under the direction of teaching staff. However, it is not child care and is not a parenting alternative. The responsibility of children lies with the parents, and if a teaching space is deemed unsafe then the role of school cannot be seen as adequate and the children cannot attend. The option to home school or seek alternative education provision (private etc) remains the choice and responsibility of parents.

It’s not so much ‘convenience’, I’d absolutely love to be at home with my kids this week, but I’ve got to go to work.

You’ve hit the nail on the head, lots of parents now see schools as childcare facilities, then complain about them needing to close etc without ever stepping foot in a classroom!

I just told my kids no early pick ups as we both work (not at home). They moaned a bit, but they’ll get over it.

Me too. I paid for a babysitter. Other friends have pooled childcare. You find a solution to keep them safe - that's what being a parent is.

I agree. But equally, society as a whole needs to accept that they will have reduced essential services if schools are closed because there isn’t any term time childcare available. I’m happy to stay at home with my kids, but it will inconvenience certain members of the public due to the service (healthcare) I provide.

Sooo your kids always have to suffer because you have to work. They never have time off for illness?

We had a 43 degree classroom today. And no, we didn't stay in it. But all our rooms are over 35 degrees so we are just sweating and kids are v irritable. Had to break up a fight today as tempers over heated.
We are not closed. But we should be.

So you think we should have suffering children instead .

Exactly.

Well our schools aren’t closed, but it’s not always that simple. If they did close, for various reasons I’ll have to take the days off, which will cause inconvenience to others. Which I’m fine with, hopefully they will be too.

Optional is fine and seems the best way to go.

Err, no? I didn’t say that. I said I am more than happy for schools to close in these conditions. Repeatedly. As long as other people accept a reduction in services. What’s controversial about that?

Yes you're a SAHM, which means you can open all doors, windows, do everything you can so that you and any children at home can stay cool - ice packs, ice lollies, paddling pools...I'm stuck in a classroom full of kids that hits 31 degrees by midday, no air-con, having to try to teach the poor little things while they sit there and melt...it's hardly the same thing.

I trust my school to keep my children safe at all other times. If they tell me they need to close to keep them safe, I will not argue.

There's a reason that extreme heat carries a health warning. I saw a news chap saying his wife is a teacher and she's using a neck fan so is coping. Absolutely no thought given to how the kids are coping he just thought they should toughen up. Twat.

It doesn’t matter whether you are happy with it or not, head teachers making these decisions this week should be considering one thing only - the welfare of the children.

With that in mind I do think it is best to go optional as unfortunately the sad reality is, some children are safer in school than at home.

Someone posted yesterday about "should schools close". I responded "only if a&e should close. I was being flippant.
If I lived in one of the areas of the Uk, (which I am not) that is experiencing these extreme temperatures, my dc would not be attending school.
Common sense needs to prevail in these extreme circumstances

So were you in a school today in a red area?

Optional is not fine. I'm not getting an emergency childcare day off if it's an "optional" emergency. My manager will not buy it.
They should just close schools and let the parents take turns babysitting.