One parent, who is a full-time carer, told the Mirror she’d only consider not sending her children to school if there was a bomb threat, highlighting the struggle facing most parents
As the country braces for unprecedented temperatures climbing toward 40°C, schools across the country have closed their doors, leaving parents divided.
With no legal maximum temperature limit for UK classrooms, hundreds of schools have already made the decision to shut early across or close their doors entirely in order to keep staff and pupils safe.
But the widespread disruption has split parents down the middle. While some are raging over the inconvenience of having to find expensive, last-minute childcare, others have welcomed the move, arguing that schools are not safe for children in such warm temperatures.
Amy Rankin, a 33-year-old mum of two from North London who is a full time carer for her brother, blasted the move for putting an unmanageable burden on working families.
“My sons school sent me an email saying they were going to close at 1pm but my daughter’s is remaining open and that they are taking all precautions to ensure the children are all fine,” Amy explained.
“They have ordered gazebos to arrive today and have shaded the majority of the playground. They have also said they have air con and to send our kids in with labelled bottles of water that they can refill as many times as they need.
“I feel like they are going to be looked after in school and they will probably be happier in a cooler environment. I understand for a non-working parent they might be able to take their kids to a lido for the day, but for parents who actually have things to do during the day it’s not really feasible is it?”
Accusing schools of hypocrisy, she added: “We have enough half terms so I am sure the kids would survive a couple of days with a bit of hot weather. There would have to be a bomb scare for me to not send my kids to school. We get penalised as parents if we take them out of school for a holiday.”
While some institutions are shutting down completely, those remaining open are getting creative to protect their pupils, erecting outdoor gazebos for share, and relaxing strict uniform rules in favour of lightweight PE kits.
With some schools shutting early, and others closing completely, it may also mean children are missing out on their free school dinners. Adding extra strain to families who may be struggling. Amy said her children do get free school meals and if her children were at home she would be able to cope, but understands how other families who may be struggling could be affected.
Currently in the UK over 2.2 million children are eligible for free school meals – making this around 26.5%. All children in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 automatically receive free school meals. But for older children, they could also be entitled to free meals depending on their household income, while in London, free meals are provided for all primary pupils up to age 11.
For some children, this free school meal may be the only dinner they get that day, causing strain on struggling families who are now having to keep their children at home due to the closures.
TOWIE star Lydia Bright has publicly shared her outrage on the early closures, calling it a “maddness”. The mum-of-one said she was sent an email from her daughter Loretta’s school telling her they were closing at 1pm.
She fumed that this response has been over the top and that schools should remain open. Taking to Instagram, the reality star said: “At 7.15pm on Monday night, I received an email to say the school would be closing at 1pm on Tuesday and now today and Thursday because of the heat.
“I’m struggling to get my head around it. Children all over the world sit in classrooms in these temperatures every day, without air conditioning. Our children happily spend entire days on holiday in this heat and when we collect them at 1pm we’re taking them home to houses that are exactly the same temperature.”
She then sympathised with other working parents and continued: “Maybe I’m missing something? I’m currently overseas trying to rearrange plans for Loretta and I know I won’t be the only working parent trying to move schedules and commitments. It feels like we’re solving one problem by creating another for hundreds of working families.”
However – on the other side of the argument – one primary school teacher told Daily Mirror that some parents are still choosing to keep their children away. “Our attendance is low,” she said: “Lots of parents are citing the heat making their children ill, so they’re keeping them at home.
“We have been told to try and make it as comfortable for the children as we can – to come off timetable and instead teach art, music or watch films, as well as telling them to drink lots of water and keep the windows and blinds shut. Our school building is incredibly old so it retains heat. Some classes are being moved into different spaces as the rooms are too hot to be in.”
She added: “The Department for Education has said school attendance is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential, but you have to question what the children will be learning?”
The teacher admitted to feeling immense anxiety about the situation, but acknowledged the vital role that schools play.
She said: “I teach younger children who are highly susceptible to overheating so it causes us quite a lot of anxiety about how we will keep the children safe. I can understand why schools are staying open- we have a duty to safeguard our vulnerable children, to be that safe haven for them, and to make sure they’ve had a proper meal.”
Closing schools due to hot weather remains rare, but teaching unions argue that the current climate crisis makes infrastructure overhauls urgent.
Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, told the Daily Mirror: “Teachers have told us that extremes of temperature in their classrooms are their biggest concern about their school building. This affects pupils’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to teach.
“We believe that a legally enforceable maximum classroom temperature should be introduced, along with investment in greater ventilation, insulation, shaded areas and flood defences in and around schools and colleges in order to make them better equipped to withstand a changing climate and hotter, more intense weather.”
Under official guidelines, when a Red Alert for extreme heat is issued, school employers must carry out a risk assessment. If the infrastructure cannot mitigate the heat, full or partial site closures can be authorised.
According to government guidelines, children are significantly more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses than adults.
While the Department for Education does not advise schools to close, it encourages headteachers to relax uniform codes, adapt timetables, and restrict outdoor physical exertion.
So far, widespread closures have been confirmed across London, the South East, the South West, the East Midlands, and the East of England.
Parents and carers can check if schools are open on their local council website, which can be accessed via this postcode checker here.
