Schools leaving windows open during winter

[Helenj1977]

I have 2 children at school and my eldest has been told that windows will be open during the winter, they can wear coats. My nephew is in reception and my sil has been told the same.

I get why but seriously how can that be good for them?? I can't imagine them learning much if they're sat shivering.

My father lived in the back to back houses in Birmingham as a child in the 30s. Conditions were terrible. His brother caught polio and was disabled for life. My dad had constant bronchitis till he was sent outside the city to an Open air school. They had coats and blankets but all the windows were open. It saved his life. Fresh air is a must

@ineedaholidaynow do you know where that grid came from? I'd love to have it as a resource!

@FusionChefGeoff
www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3223

Thanks everyone. You've made me realise I'm being OTT! I'll order some base layers, fingerless gloves etc!

I really feel the cold and would hate to be sat in the cold like that all day. I do get why but it won't be comfortable for them.

Please take note of what PP have said. Students are not going to be sitting in an unheated building. Yes, windows will be open, but the heating will be on. My school is always roasting hot - my windows are always open anyway.

[quote StaffAssociationRepresentative]@Helenj1977 if you are unhappy move schools[/quote]
I would expect all schools will be doing this. Hopefully.

Asking for Windows open is very different to having then remain open.

Even in this mini heatwave students have been asking for Windows to be closed and some teachers have closed them because they are also cold?

What hope do we have?

Each school and setting should have inspection to make sure windows remain open. Otherwise I'm afraid, people become complacent, students take it upon themselves to shut windows.
Many believe covid is caught from hands, many believe they are really safe in their bubble and they can't catch it from each other.

DH & I have our bedroom windows open all year. The last time we closed them was for about a week in February 2018. And we don't have the radiator on in our bedroom. We live in Yorkshire. Cold air doesn't increase the chance of getting ill - we very rarely catch the various bugs that are going around. And when we do, we seem to get over them pretty quickly.

Yep, it's a thing, and there'll be some moaning, but it's either that or yet greater numbers.

DS is arguing with me about cycling to school tomorrow. It is raining heavily at moment but he doesn't mind. Distance is 6 miles on country roads.

He reckons his coat will keep his upper body dry & he rolls his trousers up so skin dries fast. But If he arrives soaking wet & there's a strong draft (strong wind forecast tomorrow) then he's going to get chilled just sitting still for hours.

Not a snowflake at all.

Worries about energy efficiency or climate change chucked out the window along with all the "excess" heat...

I think schools are doing their best to minimise risk with very few tools. Kids can be layered up and if this reduces the risk of transmission so be it.

If he is going to cycle to school in the rain then perhaps either wear waterproofs or take spare clothes, rather than expect the whole class and teacher to have no ventilation?

Children should not be wearing a coat indoors because when they go outside they won’t benefit. You wouldn’t sit at home with your heating on in winter and all the windows open would you. It’s getting ridiculous do these measures actually work because I’m not convinced.

@noblegiraffe 👍

The room needs to be well ventilated, it’s not about making them cold and shivering. However this years more thought will be needed about dressing kids appropriately, for the conditions we find ourselves in. The outrage about something that hasn’t happened is bewildering

Not all schools are hot. Mine is freezing. I'll still have the windows open the 3cm I can open them. And I'll teach in coat and gloves etc.

Scotland, coast and windy here (so windy when the windows are open pictures get blown off the wall!) I LOVE having the windows open. I LOVE getting a through draught in the house.

If the air seems stale and stuffy it needs to be changed over. I'm relishing they kids having all that fresh air all day. They'll sleep at night!

Lots of layers and a good lunch/snack will help.
We've got insulated flask thingys from Ikea and sending the kids to school with hot food in that.

@Littered5
At home I don’t have the living room filled with 30 people. However, if I find myself in that situation and Covid is still here, then yes I would have all the windows open. They don’t need to wear a coat indoors. Vest (thermals), shirt, jumper/fleece... cold weather clothing.

To turn the question back to you - Would you really sit in a room, literally shoulder to shoulder with 30 people for 5 hours, without adequate ventilation in the current situation?

10c here tomorrow I would say that's cold

Open window and class door is a key part of our school’s risk assessment so we have to do it. As PP have said this is one of the very few things we can do to mitigate risk in our classrooms. It is not ideal but if people want schools back that’s what has to be done. I will be cross if we get complaints about this from parents as they have seen the school’s risk assessment so know why we’re doing it. I’m sure schools will be told they’re in the wrong though and will just have to suck it up like everything else at the moment.

[quote UniversallyUnchallenged]@Littered5
At home I don’t have the living room filled with 30 people. However, if I find myself in that situation and Covid is still here, then yes I would have all the windows open. They don’t need to wear a coat indoors. Vest (thermals), shirt, jumper/fleece... cold weather clothing.

To turn the question back to you - Would you really sit in a room, literally shoulder to shoulder with 30 people for 5 hours, without adequate ventilation in the current situation?[/quote]
To be honest it wouldn’t bother me I would happily teach (if I could) unfortunately it’s not my field and I work with positive cases. So yes sitting in a classroom would not bother me even with 30 kids.

I can understand having a window open at times but I think it’s all a bit OTT.

Like I said I’m not convinced these measures actually work..

Florence nightingale did and that's enough for me. The first Canon of nursing is fresh air.

Reception children play outside half of the time all year round anyway. They shouldn't have a warm coat and wellies.

I'd rather my DC were alert with the windows open and a coat on, that in a stuffy airless room with no ventilation.

Presumably the heating will still be on.

It's a sensible idea to disperse the virus and reduce transmission. Obviously as winter sets in there might be times when severe weather conditions could make it impractical to keep windows open all the time, but keeping windows open when possible is a good idea.

In Scandinavia babies are often left outside in freezing temperatures for naps. The babies are well covered with cosy clothing and blankets, and seem to thrive. Pandemic or not, fresh air is a good thing.

I avoid places with no ventilation these days.
Invest in some thermals, long John's, sleeved vests, hat, fingerless gloves and scarves. The fresh air will do wonders for them if wrapped up warm.

The ventilation will also help reduce other viruses and illnesses.