While most Londoners spent most of the year wishing for warmer weather, while we were experiencing one of the wettest years on record, many might be wishing for more rain to return as temperatures soar towards 40C this week.
The Met Office issued a rare red weather warning today for Wednesday and Thursday this week. Specifically, the warning is in place from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday.
These extreme temperatures have raised the question: How will schools cope?
Schools in extreme heat
Many UK schools are not equipped to deal with such high temperatures, and parents and teachers are urging schools to look into measures to combat this.
It was only last month that the Climate Change Committee (CCC) released a report encouraging a maximum working temperature. As part of their recommendations, they advised the government to invest in cooling for places like schools, hospitals, prisons and care homes.
The CCC stated that higher temperatures impact children’s ability to learn and could impact performance in exams held over the Summer months.
When there is a red weather alert, the Department for Education advises that “schools and early years settings should review actions to manage heat for all pupils and staff.” However, they also say “during hot weather, we don’t normally advise schools to close.”
Measures being taken
It is being reported that some schools, including a few in London, have decided to close their doors early during the heatwave. The full list of London schools closing is:
- All Saints Benhilton Primary School, Sutton
- Archbishop Tenison’s Church of England High School, Croydon
- Belmont Junior School, Haringey
- Cardinal Pole Catholic School, Hackney
- Cheam High School, Sutton
- Clapton Girls’ Academy, Hackney
- Fielding Primary School and Nursery, Ealing
- Oaks Park High School, Sutton
- Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form, Hackney
- Sydenham School, Lewisham
- Wren Academy, Enfield
Other schools across the country are making changes like allowing pupils to wear their PE kits, instead of their regular uniforms and encouraging students to bring in water bottles.
So while there haven’t been any blanket regulations set out by the government for what schools should do in the heatwave, individual schools are making decisions based on up-to-date information.
