So cold at school

[TW2013]

My dc are really cold at school. I know why all the windows, doors etc are open and I tend to just layer up at home so not averse to layers. They go in with five layers on top, wondering about digging their salopettes out for legs. They have been told they can't have hood up. Due to a medical condition they do get colder than normal. Have ordered fingerless gloves. Anyone else found any solutions?

@Glitterynails unfortunately I still got Covid in a freezing school at 32 weeks pregnant. However, no other staff I was in contact with got it, and none of the kids isolating because of me got it either thankfully. It's tricky though as being so cold is horrible.

@Ickiness

How are they managing to write if their hands are so cold?? I’m surprised any of them can concentrate if they are so cold I’m sure in workplaces there’s rules about temperature being too cold or too hot? Can’t believe kids and teachers are having to spend their days like this I wouldn’t even send mine in if they were school age

Same here. I'd keep them at home and if I worked in a place that was so cold, I'd leave. If I was a kid at school I'd refuse to go in.

It's a flipping nightmare!

I've also caught Covid from school (hadn't been anywhere else, even track and trace agreed it must have been from school) despite all windows/doors open.

I'm sending my DD in with thermal layers under her normal uniform. And proper waterproof school boots. Most girls shoes are so impractical for wet weather.

Workplace temperature rules do not apply in schools...

I'm a teacher going into school with thermal leggings, thermal long sleeved top, jumper, hoodie and sometimes gilet too!! I'm just about warm enough but I need thicker socks as my feet are frozen and my hands too!!

6 year old DS was cold in class, I recently discovered, so now he’s wearing thermal vests and leggings made from merino wool - I ask him every day and he says he’s warm enough now. I also bought him a specialist ski jacket which is waterproof and really warm as well, so he will be warm outside. Poor little things, it’s so hard for them.

@Danglingmod

Workplace temperature rules do not apply in schools...

Which is crazy because for staff it is their workplace and they should be at least able to be appropriately dressed. It's not even as if they can go to the staff room to warm up.

From gov.uk

"Schools must follow the same health and safety law for indoor temperature as other workplaces."

WHO guidance

The WHO's 2018 guidelines give a strong recommendation that a minimum of 18 °C (64 °F) is a "safe and well-balanced indoor temperature to protect the health of general populations during cold seasons", while a higher minimum may be necessary for vulnerable groups including children

@hamptonedge

I work in a school, we have had to ask parents to send their children in with more layers on- don't worry about the colour just more layers. We still have children arriving in just a tshirt, joggers and school sweatshirt on PE days🥶 Just send them in warm clothes & don't forget their coat😤

I live two mins up the road from the local secondary who insist on T-shirt and shorts for P.E still, I often come across the children in the supermarket which is two minutes in the opposite direction, kids must be freezing.

My school (primary) is another one insisting on layers underneath uniform and no outer layers in class. Daughters classmate had chilblains on her hands last week. Her mother WhatsApped us all.

Shocking really.

@AcornAutumn

Also, what’s the deal if you want to withdraw your child from school this year, would they be allowed to repeat the year next year?

It's fairly unlikely this would be the case, as funding changes at post 16, so most schools will want the child to go back into their proper year group. If you withdraw, you also risk losing your current school place - the school has no duty to hold it for you.

BTW the school I work at are allowing coats over uniform, which I think is sensible.

Personally, I would prefer being able to close windows but all students wearing masks at all times in the classroom (with medical exemptions). I am getting pretty cold teaching and it is not even that cold yet.

I’m teaching in a heated gilet. It’s been a game changer.

re the heated gilet, I don't work in the school, but feel the cold a lot. I am a bit apprehensive though about buying one, and sizing as don't want to be returning one right now - would like to know more!

@herecomesthsun mine is the Fasola heated vest from Amazon; it was about £50 in October and the sizes are s-xl I think.
I’ve got a small and a medium for and as I’m a 12-14, the small is fine over a shirt but snug over a shirt and jumper, hence the medium!

It’s run off a usb power bank which I already had but obviously if you don’t have one it will add to the cost.

I live very rurally and me and my DD are ALWAYS outside, I seem to be wearing one or the other of these gilets constantly and they are really good. I would absolutely recommend one!

Dds class heating packed up this week. She’s wearing extra layers under and on top of her school uniform. I’m dreading actual winter though as we have a rather long walk to and from school.

@Whyismycatanasshat thanks for the recommendation- just bought it