DOZENS of schools will shut early this week as Brits brace themselves for 40C temperatures.
Locations across parts of England and Wales have been issued a rare “extreme heat” red alert, with record-breaking temperatures anticipated for four days.
Schools across the West Midlands and South of England will close for the incoming heatwave Credit: PA
Some locations will shut from lunchtime, seeing pupils complete the school day online Credit: JohnnyGreig
across the West Midlands and South of England have confirmed they will close early on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
This pre-emptive move comes in response to soaring heat, with 36 locations expecting temperatures of up to 40C.
Highs of 37C are anticipated in the South of England on Tuesday, with the mercury rising to as as 40C on Wednesday and Thursday.
High humidity and “tropical nights” accompany the scorching heat, with extreme temperatures expected to cause significant delays to daily life.
Closing schools due to hot is unusual for schools in England, especially because there is no legal maximum temperature for classrooms.
A spokesperson from the told The Sun: “In terms of who decides if a school stays open or closed, it’s up to the school rather than the local authority.”
However, new advice from the Department asks schools and early years settings to “review actions to manage heat for all pupils and staff” when a red alert is indicated.
Earlier today, Wren Academy, a secondary school in Enfield, confirmed it would close early on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to help in ““maintaining a safe learning environment during high ”.
32 schools with confirmed early closures this week
Schools with confirmed early closures:
- Wren Academy, Enfield
- Kingdown School, Warminster
- Clarendon Academy, Trowbridge
- Pewsey Vale School, Pewsey
- Dilton Marsh Primary, Westbury
- Kingsholm Primary, Gloucester
- St Michael’s School, Larkhill
- Isebrook School, Kettering
- Woodland Middle School Academy, Flitwick (only for year 7 and 8)
- The Dorcan Academy, Swindon
- St John’s Marlborough School, Marlborough
- Malmesbury School, Wiltshire
- Finlay Community School, Gloucester
- Archway School, Stroud
- New Close School, Warminster
- Sydenham School, London
- Cranbourne School, Basingstoke
- Eggar’s School, Alton
- Grateley Primary School, Grateley
- Swanmore College, Swanmore
- Creswood Community School, Eastleigh
- Harrow Way Community School, Andover
- The Bulmershe School, Reading
- Cheam High School, Surrey
- The Hurst School, Tadley
- Reading School, Reading
- King’s Academy Prospect, Reading
- St. Crispins, Wokingham
- The Willows Primary School, Newbury
- Churchend Primary School, Reading
- Ditton Park Academy, Slough
- Silverwood School, Wiltshire
Met Office 5-day forecast
Today:
The best of the sunshine will be across the southeast, where it will feel increasingly hot and humid. Elsewhere, it will be rather cloudy, with a little showery rain possible at times, particularly across parts of Scotland and northern England.
Tonight:
A widely warm night with mostly light winds. There is still a chance of showers across some central areas, but most places will stay dry.
Tuesday:
Any showers will soon clear into the North Sea, leaving all parts of the country widely fine, settled and hot. It will feel particularly hot and humid across the south.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Extremely hot and humid in southern and central parts of England and Wales. Strong sunshine at times, but increasingly cloudy by Thursday with showers. Becoming slightly cooler from Friday.
In an email to parents seen by The Sun, it reads that: “shortening the school day will reduce prolonged to heat, particularly during the hottest part of the afternoon”.
Students at Kingdown School in Warminster will be dismissed from school at 12:25pm throughout the , with normal hours resuming on Friday.
Isebrook School, a SEND institution in Kettering, will shut entirely for all students on both Wednesday and Thursday.
Today, a further 29 number of schools have told parents they will amend its timetabled hours throughout this week.
The Dorcan Academy in Swindon announced it would finishing on-site teaching as early ad 11:30am before completing the afternoon lessons online.
The last time schools shut to this extent was back in 2022, where Schools Week revealed 104 schools had shut for at least one day during the mid-July heatwave.
France has seen temperatures already climb to 40C, seeing 845 shut for today, with 1,500 more allowing pupils to leave early.
Many more UK schools have introduced rules allowing children to wear a relaxed uniform, including wearing for the whole day.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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