Schools across London and the country are either closed or shutting early and transport bosses have warned people against all but essential travel amid rare red warnings over extreme temperatures that are expected to hit record highs for June.
Scores of schools across England and Wales announced they will close or finish early on several days this week to protect pupils amid the heat. In some cases children have also been told they can wear PE kit rather than full school uniform, which typically involves long trousers and blazers. Some after-school clubs and trips have also been cancelled.
Sydenham School, in Lewisham, is closing at 12.15pm on Tuesday (June 23), Wednesday, (June 24) and Thursday, (June 25). In a letter to parents head teacher Emma Wijnberg said: “I am writing to inform you of some important changes to our schoolschedule due to the extreme heat forecast this week.
“All students in Year 7, 8 and 9 will be dismissed at 12:15pm on these days. Students are expected tomake their own travel arrangements to return home safely. Year 10 and Year 12 students will bedismissed after their Period 3 exams have finished. Year 10 parents will shortly receive a separate email about the rearrangements for afternoon exams this week.
“We will provide supervision for any students who are unable to leave at 12:15pm. If your child needs to remain in school after early closure, please contact us as soon as possible so we can make appropriate arrangements.
“The Battle of the Bands event, previously scheduled for Thursday 25th June, is now cancelled due tothe extreme heat. It has been rescheduled to Wednesday 1st July, 6 – 8.30pm, all tickets previouslypurchased will be valid for this date.”
Fielding Primary School and Nursery in Ealing will close at 12pm on Tuesday and remain shut all day Wednesday and Thursday before reopening on Friday. A message on the school website reads: “School, ARP and Nursery close at mid-day on Tuesday 23rd June, all day Wednesday 24th and all day Thursday 25th June. School re-opens on Friday 26th June.
“We are closing as a result of the red weather warning for extreme heat. We appreciate that many families will be managing children at home in very challenging temperatures.
“Therefore, our approach to remote learning will be deliberately simple, flexible and focused on keeping children connected with their teachers and classmates, rather than trying to replicate a normal school day.
“Remote learning by Microsoft Teams starts on Wednesday. Further information to follow by email. EMS lessons, Clubs and Childcare will be refunded.
Cheam High School in Sutton is running shorter days this week from today (Tuesday) until Friday. A message on the school website reads: “With it expected to reach up to 37 degrees outside, many classroom spaces will become hotter than this, especially in the afternoon, which are not conditions conducive to learning when rooms are filled with students and staff.
“Due to this, we are going to run compressed days from 8.30am to 1.10pm from Tuesday 23rd June. This will ensure that students will still have 5 lessons each day, although each lesson will be slightly shorter. This will mean that they will not have to be out at lunchtime in the heat but disruption to their education will be minimised. We will be cancelling period 6 and work will be set for Year 12. Year 12 exams will continue as normal.
“Students who wish to have a school meal before leaving school will be able to purchase this either at break time or at 1.10pm before going home.
“Please ensure that your child has a full water bottle at the start of the day which they must refill at social time. Please also ensure that they are wearing high factor suncream.
“Our plans at present are that CheamFest will go ahead as planned on Friday evening. We will update you on Friday about next week, when we hope to return to a normal school day.”
Oaks Park High School, in Sutton, will finish at 12.20pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The school stated on its website: “The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff must remain our priority. Despite the measures we have put in place to keep classrooms as cool as possible, the forecast temperatures and heat warnings mean that remaining on site for the full school day is likely to become increasingly uncomfortable and potentially unsafe.”
Pupils will be provided with work to complete at home on each of the three days.
Meanwhile, Belmont Junior School, in Haringey, North London, has requested parents collect their children at 1.30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday where feasible, though confirmed that arrangements will continue for families unable to do so.
Parents at All Saints Benhilton Primary School, in Sutton, have similarly been informed they may opt to collect their child earlier at 1.15pm this week.
What is happening with schools elsewhere across the country
Many schools in Horsham, West Sussex, are closing early on Wednesday and Thursday, with some setting pupils work to do at home. They include Tanbridge House School, a secondary school with about 1,500 pupils, and the Forest School secondary school.
Some children who cannot stay at home will continue to be cared for on site. Elsewhere, the Buckingham School in Buckinghamshire said it will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, and asked students to take part in online learning.”
In a statement on its website on Monday, the school said: “Because most of our buildings cannot be cooled adequately and there is little shade outside, we have taken the difficult decision to close the school site on both days (Wednesday and Thursday). All trips and other scheduled activities are also cancelled.”
The school, which has around 1,200 students until sixth form, said teachers will upload work online for pupils to complete.
St John’s Marlborough in Wiltshire said it will close early on Tuesday and be shut all day on Wednesday and Thursday before re-opening on Friday.
The Dorcan Academy in Swindon, Wiltshire, said on-site learning will finish at 11.30am on Tuesday and the school will remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
Some schools will remain open this week but close at about lunchtime on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, including Pewsey Vale School, Dilton Marsh Primary and Malmesbury School in Wiltshire, Ditton Park Academy in Slough, Berkshire and The Bulmershe School in Reading, Berkshire.
The Department for Education said on its website on Monday that “during hot weather, we don’t normally advise schools to close”.
It added: “This is because school attendance is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential, and hot weather can usually be managed safely. School leaders should make sure they take any steps necessary to make sure children are safe and comfortable, and the heat-health alerts can guide this.”
Meanwhile, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said it has written to all its members with guidance on dealing with the heat this week, including the impact on pupils and staff, legal positions and when to consider closure.
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: “While there is no legal ‘upper limit’ for temperature in schools, (school leaders) will certainly be doing all they can to mitigate the effects of such high temperatures.”
Full list of London schools with confirmed closures or early finishes
- Sydenham School – Closing at 12.15pm Tuesday to Thursday
- Cheam High School – Compressed days from 8.30am to 1.10pm from Tuesday
- Fielding Primary School – Closing 12pm Tuesday and shut on Wednesday and Thursday
- Oaks Park High School – Closing at 12.20pm Tuesday to Thursday
- Belmont Junior School – Parents asked to pick up at 1.30pm Tuesday to Thursday
- All Saints Benhilton Primary School – Parents asked to pick up at 1.30pm this week
If your child’s school is confirmed as being closed or shutting early you can let us know by emailing [email protected] and we will update the list throughout the day
To see all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol licence applications and more in your area, enter your postcode below or visit the Public Notice Portal HERE
