Extreme heat affecting the UK in recent weeks has created challenging conditions in schools, with classroom temperatures climbing above 40 degrees Celsius. Teachers report that pupils and staff have experienced symptoms including heatstroke, nausea, and headaches. In response to the oppressive conditions, educators have implemented makeshift cooling measures such as covering younger children with wet paper towels as they rest on floors and providing trays of water for older students to soak their feet in. Staff members indicate that learning is severely compromised on the hottest days, with pupil behavior and concentration deteriorating significantly.
School building infrastructure has proven inadequate for managing extreme heat. Many facilities feature minimal shade, extensive glass construction, and poor insulation. Additionally, most schools lack air conditioning systems. Playgrounds often contain artificial grass or concrete surfaces that intensify heat exposure. Some teachers and pupils have reported fainting episodes, and numerous staff members have purchased fans and window coverings using personal funds to enhance safety conditions. School closures have been widespread, with more than 1,000 institutions in England and Wales either fully or partially closing during the peak of a heatwave in June. Department for Education statistics indicate that one in five school sessions in England were missed during that period, marking the highest daily absence rate for the academic year.
The economic and community impact has been substantial. The Round Our Way group estimated the June heatwave’s economic cost between £100 million and £200 million, with effects extending beyond schools to working parents and broader communities. A survey of 1,000 UK parents found that over half had at least one child miss school days, 40 percent reported children returning home overheated and exhausted, and nearly two-thirds described UK summers as “starting to feel genuinely unsafe for children.”
Education unions and climate advocates have called for comprehensive government intervention. Jenny Cooper, a teacher and safety representative with the National Education Union in London, reported colleagues fainting and classrooms measuring significantly above safe working temperature thresholds. Experts and officials argue that addressing this issue requires structural building improvements, including air conditioning installation, enhanced insulation, and landscape modifications such as tree planting to replace concrete and artificial surfaces. The Department for Education stated that schools should remain open “wherever possible” while implementing established heat management protocols.
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