Can UK colleges shut this week as temperatures hit 38C? Heatwave pointers defined
The UK is bracing for a heatwave this week with temperatures forecast to reach up to 38C – but could schools be forced to close? Here’s what the current DfE school heat guidance says.
The hot temperatures can impact your health(Image: the_burtons via Getty Images)
Britain is braced to bake this week, with the latest scorching spell anticipated to push temperatures perilously close to a blistering 40C. But what does this mean for the millions of pupils this week, crammed into busy – and undoubtedly extremely stifling – classrooms?
A severe amber heat warning has already been put in place by the Met Office spanning from Monday, June 22 through to Thursday, June 25 with temperatures on Monday and Tuesday predicted to peak at a sweltering 38C.
Additional amber heat health alerts have been declared by the UK Health Security Agency which now encompass most of England from Monday morning through to Friday evening.
While these health alerts urge Britons to consume plenty of fluids and stay out of the sun, those trapped in suffocating classrooms have little control over their surroundings. Consequently, schools nationwide are frantically preparing for the scorching week ahead, with teaching staff working to prevent heat exhaustion and fainting amongst students in blazing conditions, with both documented in recent years during intolerably warm weather.
Why does hot weather pose such a challenge in an educational environment?
Educators, unions, schools, and parents have all expressed worries regarding classroom temperatures during Britain’s progressively sweltering summers in recent years. The heat can make concentration difficult at the best of times.
Pupils with special educational needs or other conditions may find it particularly challenging during a severe heatwave – and they’re not the only ones. It’s also tough on teachers, who are battling through the same sweltering conditions while trying to educate children who are finding it hard to focus, a Deputy Head from a London secondary school told the i newspaper.
“During the hottest days, teachers can barely teach, let alone students learn,” the senior teacher, known as ‘Daniel’, revealed to the publication. “My staff say it’s really hard to function properly.”
Could schools be forced to shut during the June heatwave?
While no official school closures have been declared during June’s heatwave, increasing pressure is being exerted on the Government to implement regulations allowing schools to close when temperatures reach dangerous levels. Both the Climate Change Committee (CCC) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) are supporting calls for a maximum temperature limit in classrooms.
The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed it is “carefully considering” these proposals.
Current DfE guidelines state that schools should stay open during hot weather spells, arguing that regular attendance provides pupils with the best chance to learn and fulfil their potential.
Following the previous heatwave earlier this year, teaching unions reiterated calls for a legal maximum classroom temperature. When questioned in June, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson did not dismiss the possibility.
However, she did recognise the challenges presented by higher classroom temperatures, stating that periods of extreme heat can create difficult conditions for teachers and school staff, and may also impact children’s learning abilities.
What measures can schools take to keep students (and staff) cool?
Some schools have already begun implementing precautionary measures, with pupils advised to ensure they bring refillable water bottles to lessons for regular hydration throughout the day.
Educational establishments across the UK are also cautioning students to remember to bring a hat for outdoor activities and to ensure they apply sunscreen before setting off for school each morning.
One school in Wiltshire has relaxed its uniform policy to help combat the heat. From Monday, pupils can wear their standard uniform without jumper and tie, or opt for their PE kit instead.
Whitchurch High School told WalesOnline it is implementing some “sensible arrangements in place to help students remain safe and comfortable”.
