Attendance and Heat

Data from 12,000 schools shared with Schools Week revealed that in the South West nearly 40 per cent of schools closed during the heatwave, even as the Education secretary Bridget Phillipson urged heads to keep classes open “as a priority”.

The Department for Education (DfE) updated their guidance to schools Hot weather and heatwaves: guidance for schools and other education settings – The Education Hub.  In which the DfE does not indicate that schools should close as hot weather can be managed safely. Where there are factors that impact schools resulting in a view that hot weather cannot be managed safely schools were asked to reach out to the locality Head of Service, or link in the Health and Safety team via [email protected] copying in schools priority alerts – mailbox [email protected] . This  enables the local authority to record all those schools where provision has been altered during the period.

Let’s Go Zero have a survey ‘Too Hot to Learn’ where they are building the case for investment in safer, cooler schools. Schools, colleges and nurseries are being asked to share their experience of excessive heat to help highlight the impact of overheating on pupils and staff as well as on learning and well-being.