Heat waves across the United Kingdom have pushed temperatures above 40 °C in several regions, prompting widespread concern for public safety.
In response, numerous schools have closed for the day to protect students, staff, and families from the extreme heat. Schools without air conditioning and those with high travel risks have cited the weather as the primary reason for the closures.
In London, institutions such as Sydenham School, Fielding Primary School and Nursery, and Wren Academy have shut down. Bristol schools, including Ashton Gate Primary, Badminton School, and Bishop Road Primary, have also closed. Hampshire schools like Crestwood Community School, Swanmore College, and Peter Symonds College are not open. In Buckinghamshire, schools such as Gerrards Cross School and Princes Risborough Primary have suspended operations. Somerset, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Devon, Sussex, and Wales have seen a range of primary and secondary schools close, with examples including St Mary and St Peter’s School in Somerset, Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell Primary in Oxfordshire, and Cardiff High School in Wales.
Teachers’ unions have urged school leaders to act swiftly when temperatures rise above 30 °C, recommending the use of cooler parts of buildings, reduced physical demands, increased water breaks, and adjustments to uniforms and duties. Calls have been made for modernised school facilities and the establishment of a legally enforceable maximum classroom temperature.
Government guidance encourages schools to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and comfort of pupils, while generally maintaining attendance as a key factor in learning outcomes.
Many schools have also arranged alternative provisions for students who cannot work at home or whose parents cannot collect them early, offering support to maintain continuity of education during the heat wave.
The heat wave is expected to continue for several days, with schools remaining closed until conditions improve and temperatures fall to safer levels.
