Heatwave and how schools deal with it

[BathshebaDarkstone]

DS's nursery class and also reception are having a water day today. All children come in swimming costumes with t-shirts and shorts over the top, I've seen the playground, they've got about 3 paddling pools set up and loads of water trays. I think this is a brilliant idea. Are any other schools prepared for the heatwave?

DSes school have gone to shirtsleeve order (blazers and ties off)

DD's primary (which has summer options of shorts or dress anyhow) has sent a reminder about sunscreen, asking all pupils KS2 to bring water bottles (years R-2 will have cups provided and use classroom taps), and asking all pupils to come with a sunhat (ideally one with brim, not just baseball style).

They rebuilt the playgrounds a couple of years ago, so there is a big bandstand like structure which gives shade. And a I think they have a big sail-like awning too.

Reception dd had cold hands coming out of her classroom yesterday. Appears they have air conditioning in there! I've sent her in with an extra cardigan today....

I hope they had shade over the pools & will remember to re apply sun screen.

They don't have shade over all the pools and I think the school's policy is not to reapply sun screen, hopefully they won't have been out in it for too long.

Auntie your DD's playground sounds perfect for days like this!

Thanks, Bathsheba; it took a lot of PTA fundraising to supplement what we might otherwise have had, and I think the end result is heaps better than it used to be.

Loving all this hand wringing.
I wonder what Mumsnet would have made of 1976.
You know, the one where we had a 3 month heat wave and drought and the water was turned off in London day after day after day.

Today we had a notice out side the school gate 'school will close if the temperature goes above 31'. So at about 10 30 parents were contacted to come and collect the children. I'm not sure if that counts as dealing with the hot weather.

It's not a heatwave it is summer. It happens annually.

We had sports day.

They did split it into ks1 and ks2, with half the school inside and half running their races.

We have one room with aircon. Amazing the number of children and adults who squeezed in (or just happened to be passing).

Something I learned today is that there's an internationally agreed official definition of a heatwave:

"when the daily maximum temperature of more than five consecutive days exceeds the average maximum temperature by 5 °C, the normal period being 1961-1990"

And by that definition, it's a heatwave. Also, temperatures in places hit 98F (highest in 1976 was 96.6)

It'll be tabloid heaven if it hits 100F, but what I've read says it's not likely to go higher (well, not this week).