Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Heatwave: Schools to close or let children wear PE kit to keep cool

Heatwave: Schools to close or let children wear PE kit to keep cool

A number of schools are closing next week and others are ditching uniforms, as temperatures in parts of the UK are predicted to hit 40C (104F).

A national emergency has been declared after a red extreme heat warning was issued for Monday and Tuesday.

Schools are not being ordered to shut, but are being encouraged to take steps to ensure pupils are safe.

Teachers say schools will need to judge whether or not to fully or partially close in some instances.

But one teaching union said widespread closures were "unlikely at this stage".

Simon Kidwell, head teacher at Hartford Manor Primary School and Nursery in Cheshire, told the BBC he had advised parents to send children to school in cool clothes to prevent overheating.

"Uniform policy is out of the window for Monday and Tuesday," he said.

"Polo shirts aren't always the lightest weight so just making sure that they can wear their clothes which are the coolest and which feel most comfortable."

He said he was "lucky" and did not have to consider closing, because classes could rotate around air-conditioned rooms, and there was lots of shade outside.

A number of local authorities, including Somerset County Council and Portsmouth City Council, told the BBC they were not expecting closures.

Head teachers in North Northamptonshire "have the discretion to close their school if they deem it necessary", while Cambridgeshire County Council told the BBC it had asked schools "to do all they can to remain open with the appropriate adjustments".

However, some schools have taken the decision to close altogether on Monday and Tuesday.

They include Dr Challoner's High School in Buckinghamshire, where head teacher Alan Roe said many classrooms "are very uncomfortable" even when temperatures are about 25C.

Kemnal Technology College in Sidcup, Kent, called the decision to close "unprecedented".

It told parents that work would be set remotely and that a few members of staff would keep the school open for parents with no childcare alternatives.

Other schools have adapted opening hours and rescheduled sports days.

In advice issued for England, the Department for Education said school leaders should "make sure they take any steps necessary to make sure children are safe and comfortable".

That includes avoiding lessons that involve "vigorous physical activity" and suggesting pupils wear loose, light-coloured clothing with sun hats.

Schools are also advised to provide children with plenty of water.

It said there was no temperature at which schools have to shut by law, but temperatures should be "reasonable".

Similar advice has been issued in Wales.


The NEU teaching union has also suggested using less heat-generating equipment - such as computers and ovens - and adapting school lunch menus.

Kevin Courtney, its joint general secretary, said that "in some cases, heads may decide that their school needs to close fully or partially during the red weather warning".

"Head teachers will be... using their professional judgment to cancel or reschedule any activities involving strenuous exercise, so as to protect children and staff," he said.

James Bowen, director of policy for school leaders' union NAHT, said "widespread closures would seem unlikely at this stage" and would be "a last resort".

He added that ventilation should be improved in school buildings as the UK experiences warmer summers - an issue brought to the fore in the pandemic.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
Wave of Complaints Against Apple Over iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratch Sensitivity
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
×