it seems that i am the only one in ds school taking this heat seriously.

[stitch]

why why why?
it is 34 degrees celsius. my kids are in a school, wearing synthetic clothes. including ties. there are no fans in the class rooms. the sun is blazing into them from the wall which is just a giant glass. my ds1 was in the field in under the blazing sun, and not allowed to go to the water fountain without a monitor, or helper. the helpers were all clustered under the shade.

the head refused to talk to me as he was on his lunch break. he was wearing a full suit, tie jacket but had a fan on in the staffroom. the deputy head started spouting surrey count council regulations at me.
ffs i grew up in the middle east. i know what heat can do. she tells me they have never had a child faint. well. yes, but thats not good enough.
she says i am the only parent to have complained about this, but, i am also the only parent who grew up in a hot country, and realises the dangers of heat. sun cream doesnt prevent heatstroke or dehydration. or loss of concentration.

kelly, i dont know if they would let him go to school in a white t shirt. and yesterday he got into trouble for forgetting his tie

the nursery ones tend to be better off, as the teachers remind them to drink. but the older ones are expected to take care of thmeselves, and if they are as scatty as my son, then obviously the dont.

I may be wrong, but I am sure that in australia the children are not allowed outside if they don't have their hat on (baseball style with wafty back bit attached).

I pour water down my throat all day long, agree that it shouldn't be any different for children.

I think your school may be a particularly bad case Stitch. Our school has little cotton dresses for summer uniform, fans in every classroom, the uniform includes a foreign legion type cotton hat, there are water fountains in the playground, and the kids are sent home every night with their water bottles to refill for the following day. Maybe you could print off some of the CRC info about sun damage (I know that's sun, not heat, but hey you have to start somewhere) and the "no hat no play" policy for the school to look at?

I think they're being pig-ignorant, too. That's appalling.

I remember - being very old - the heat wave of 1977 where we were solemnly allowed, several weeks on, to take our school blazers off.

I didn't think any schools were that rigid on school uniform now. He nt even that old to be having to wear a tie. My dd is scatty too, forgets her hat half the time, but I think the fountain is still enough of a novelty for her to keep drinking.
Do you know any other mums there? - if you could get a bit more support maybe you might get somewhere with the head.

Stitch when I worked in Zimbabwe the school uniform at the school included full blazers (at ALL times of the year). There was NO fans in the school (at all), and even in temperatures close to 40c they still were NOT allowed to take their blazers off

I our school the kids are explected to ask if they can take off their blazers. I always give permission.

They do take the piss tho. I had one madam this afternoon demanding the right to go to the medical room because she had to have a drink of water. This was 5 minutes after lunchtime break, fgs! oone sweats that much. not even me!

HMB - you on the wine luv

Not yet!

our idiot gym teacher used to make us do laps around the football field in this kind of weather. the 'large' children (and this is north america were talking about, so there were alot of them) looked like they were going to collapse.

thanks for all your thoughts everyone. i managed to calm down enought to talk, and used some of the wordage you have used.
he seemed to think i had a point, and took some notes, and said he would speak to health and safety.
but regarding th eclothes, he wouldnt budge. it has to be a shirt and tie, but id have to find a non uniform cotton one if i wanted him in a natural fibre. the girls do wear red checked dresses, but then i only have boys at school!
i like the policy of no hat, no play!

sorry to be thick, but what are the dangers? sunburn?

Sunburn can cause skin cancer in later life. Also sunstroke is pretty serious. My stepdaughter has had it from being out in the sun.

Sorry, it's clear she had heat exhaustion not heat stroke - horrible anyway.
This is from the net:

Heat Reactions
There are three main reactions to an extremely hot environment. All three are caused by excessive loss of water through sweating.

Heatstroke or Sunstroke

Symptoms

• hot, flushed skin

• high fever (at least 105°F, or 40.6°C)

• not sweating

• delirium or unconsciousness

• shock (low blood pressure).

First aid

• Call your child's physician IMMEDIATELY.

• The high fever can be a life-threatening emergency. Cool your child off as rapidly as possible. Move him to a cool place. Sponge him with cool water (as cold as is tolerable), and fan him. If your child is unconscious, immersion in cold water could be life-saving. Note: Ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) will not help.

• If your child is conscious, give him a glass of cold water to drink every 15 minutes until he feels better.

• Call for emergency transportation.

Heat Exhaustion

Symptoms

• cold, pale skin

• no fever (temperature less than 100°F, or 37.8°C)

• sweating

• dizziness

• fainting

• weakness.

First aid

• Call your child's physician IMMEDIATELY.

• Put your child in a cool place. Have him lie down with his feet elevated.

• Give your child a glass of cold water to drink every 15 minutes until he feels better.

• Your physician will probably want to examine your child's state of hydration. You can drive him in, but keep him lying down in the back seat during the drive and continue to offer water during the ride.

Heat Cramps

Symptoms

• severe cramps in the limbs and abdomen

• no fever.

Home care

Heat cramps are the most common reaction to excessive heat. They are never serious. Give your child a glass of cold water to drink every 15 minutes until he feels better. Children with heat cramps do not need to be seen by a physician.

Prevention

When your child is working or exercising in a hot environment, have him drink extra fluids. Avoid salt tablets because they slow down the absorption of water. Light-colored, lightweight clothing will help keep your child cooler.

NUtty no one ever fainted becasue fo the heat - normally becasue their parents didnt give them any breakfast

Mind oyu on stitchs previous form she probably went in all giuns blazing and ranting! chill stitchy

or well rename you tetchy

dds1 wore a polo shirt sports sandals ( no socks) and shorts today
our head doesnt care

Cod, do you remember that stupid 'non blazer day' thingy at my school ???

It had to be absolutly blazing before we could take them off.

Oppps missed your fist post.

And they did you know.

At my ds's school, their summer uniform for boys is navy, grey or black shorts if they want them, (or their normal school trousers) and plain white polo shirt or t-shirt. Sandals if they want, but not open toe (or at least I think not open toe, I work on the basis of not open toe because I don't like the idea of them from the safety aspect. In fact, if it's not no open toe, it should be!)

Simple, cheap and practical.

nah
and they always poted no blazers at registration
never rememebred north b ham being saharan

i took sun cream and a baseball hat in today, and the cream is sitting in a basket, all alone. no one else has bothered bringing any in for their child (and teachers are willing to help put it on). in fact, i overheard the teacher telling a mum that her son had a bit of sunburn on his cheeks and advising her to bring sun cream in, the mum went all huffy cos she thought it was unnecessary!

"NUtty no one ever fainted becasue fo the heat - normally becasue their parents didnt give them any breakfast"

ermm yes they did - I did once at school, I'd had a hearty breakfast (mum never let me leave the house without having some) and I'd eaten my packed lunch..........we had an afternoon assembly standing in the school hall in the roasting heat and I fainted

I just do factor 30 in the morning and hope that lasts till 3.

I have a special blue one (Lidl are so fab) so you can see the bits you've missed.

at our school I meant
nutty and I were at school together