Are you sending your children to school Tuesday and Wednesday?

[wonderouswelly]

I am a teacher and have heard lots of parents won’t be sending their children in during the heat wave next week.

Are you keeping yours off?

I am dreading it as a teacher; our classroom is so stuffy!

Eh?

Well then, give them the day off.

Met Office says 39 on Weds in London

I have just found it at Heathrow

Yes, because I trust them to make sensible decisions. When its been mega hot previously they've done packed lunches instead of cooked dinners and they've been eaten out on the field in the shade under the trees which the kids think is great fun. Primary school.

I dont think they have air con (could be wrong) But they do have reflective privacy film on the windows which reduces heat significantly in the classrooms. They relax uniform rules (e.g. no ties, or wear PE kit) and there have been water fights when hot previously (the head teacher is a massive child really!) But preplanned so you know to send them with spare clothes.

If they are not in school though they may be in the rivers and lakes instead, many deaths at last half term which probably wouldn't have happened on a school day

I'm amazed that this thread was even started!

I grew up in a hot country, air con didn't exist - and I'm chuckling to myself at the thought of anyone not going to school because it was hot. It's human instinct to avoid spending too much time in the sun when temperatures are high, but that just means staying in the shade, not sitting at home in an equally hot room as the school is

I'm not in the UK and I've never heard of kids being kept off school due to heat, and I would argue we have many more hot days than you do. The hottest day ever here was when I was at school in the 70s, we still all went to school.

Blimey. I am not sure why I am being attacked! I have asked a question. It was quite a simple one. I did not say anything or have an opinion on the matter.

Again, if you bothered to read the thread, I overheard parents stating that they would not be sending their children to school. I had a few children in my class also state they would not be coming in.

Hence why I have asked if this is a thing, and if others are also keeping theirs off.

Yes, it is going to be 38° here. We have two windows (small) that open 2-3 inches. No fans are allowed to be brought it from home I have been told. It will be hot, I’m allowed to moan 😂

Yes! We both work, not in WFH roles. It's not going to be any cooler in our house than it is at nursery/school.

The taxi will have air con.

At least if you are home you can take a cool bath or shower, have fans, get a cold pack. Kids at school cannot do any of that.

I also grew up in a hot country, and now live there again.

But after living in London for 10 years, I wouldn't send DC to school in those temperatures. The school dc1 went to was not built for that type of weather. Low ceilings, boxed room to keep heat in, not allow it out. One normal sized door that wouldn't let any type of breeze in from that concrete jungle.

The fact you wouldn't give your DC a day off, that you think sending them in to that sweat box like they'd actually get anything done, says so much about the school system in England.

Isn't it fairly obvious that it's aimed at people in places predicted to experience extreme heat next week?

The size of chips on some shoulders when people dare to post about any less-than-universal experience. I don't know how you even manage to walk upright.

Oxford area.

Uk buildings are designed to keep heat in though. I think people from other countries that are normally hot forget this.

It is still not the same as being at school and home though.

I’ve yet to see a fan at primary school, there are 30 people in a room, they can’t take more clothes off, they can’t sit and have an ice cream or an ice pack etc.

And I'm amazed someone can be so short sighted.

You grew up in a country where buildings were designed with hot weather in mind. Many
English buildings trap the heat. Also if you grew up in a hot country you are acclimatised to hot weather. People here aren't.

No fans will be because of PAT testing, we weren't supposed to in our workplace, nor phone chargers either

So what would happen if you did put a couple of fans in your room? I can't inagine any school administrator justifying removal. On what grounds? What about health & safety for everyone?

I'll wait and see what school say. However, our house is likely to be much cooler than dc's classroom- our windows open, we have external doors (the classroom doesn't) and stone floors/walls. It's already been explained that it isn't the same situation as in countries that already plan around the temperature.

It’s quite common - a lot of schools don’t allow things like fans and heaters.

and one fan will make no difference.

In the heatwave a few years back (when it was early 40s , it fell on my days off (shift pattern). I took the kids to the beach for two days: they were not going to learn anything at school in such heat and I recorded the teachers would appreciate fewer bodies in the class room

It’s not just that. At home it’s extremely unlikely to have 30 odd bodies in one single room all generating heat.

I’m dreading being in the school office next week with no fan or aircon but we’ll survive!

I am wondering if Sports Day will be postponed though

Health and safety. Equipment that hasn’t been appropriately tested can be a fire hazard. Unlikely, but not impossible.