The number of schools closing in the UK heatwave has risen to 152, with some shutting entirely. A Red Extreme Heat Warning has been issued by the Met Office, with June temperature records forecast to break.
Met Office Red Warning
The Met Office has issued a Red Extreme Heat Warning for Wednesday and Thursday. Despite the prospect of sweltering 38C highs at times, the National Association of Head Teachers said it has given all of its members guidance on dealing with the heat this week.
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman 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."
Schools Closing or Finishing Early
152 schools across England and Wales have announced they will close or finish early for several days this week to protect pupils from extreme heat. In some cases, schools have told children that uniform rules will be relaxed, with kids allowed to wear PE kit instead.
Simon King, lead weather presenter for BBC Weather, explained: "Following an earlier amber warning, the Met Office has issued a red warning for extreme heat on Wednesday and Thursday. It will be a hotter day for all of us in the UK on Tuesday. Across northern England and Wales it will get to 28 to 30C (86F), but for the Midlands, eastern and southern England, temperatures will widely exceed 33C."
"In some locations around the south Midlands towards Greater London, the mercury is expected to peak at about 36 or 37C. This will comfortably exceed the current June temperature record of 35.6C set in 1976. With sunnier weather across Scotland and Northern Ireland, it will also turn warmer with highs of 24 to 27C on Tuesday."
Forecast of 40C
The BBC says temperatures are forecast to rise as high as 40C (104F) later this week. The previous red warning was issued in July 2022 when the UK saw its highest temperature on record of 40.3C in Coningsby.
List of Schools with Confirmed Early Closures
Schools with confirmed early closures this week include:
- 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
- Eggar's School, Alton
- St Michael's Academy, Somerset
- Piggot C of E School, Wargrave
- Radstock Primary School, Earley
- Maiden Erlegh School, Reading
- Willow Bank Infant School, Woodley
- River Academy, Reading
- Katesgrove Primary School, Reading
- Beechwood Primary School, Woodley
- Gerrards Cross CofE School
- Hughenden Primary School
- Princes Risborough Primary School
- Ley Hill School
- Farnham Common Infant School
- Chalfonts Community College
- Denham Village School
- Haydon Abbey School and Pre-School
- Dropmore Infant School
- Kingsbrook View Academy
- Iver Heath Junior School
- Misbourne School
- The Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery
- Farnham Common Junior School
- Overstone Combined School
- Marsworth Church of England Infant School
- Brookmead School Bourton
- Meadow Academy
- The Steeple Claydon School
- Buckinghamshire Primary Pupil Referral Unit
- Bierton Church of England Combined School
- Turnfurlong Infant School
- Great Kingshill Church of England Combined School
- Great Kimble Church of England School
- Aylesbury Vale Academy
- Weston Turville Church of England School
- Disraeli School and Children's Centre
- Iver Village Junior School
- St Mary's Farnham Royal CofE Primary School
- Green Ridge Primary Academy
- Orchard View Primary Academy
- Ivingswood Academy
- Chepping View Primary Academy
- Kite Ridge School
- Chalfont Valley E-ACT Primary Academy
- Waddesdon Village Primary School
- Wooburn Green Primary School
- Quainton Church of England School
- Oakridge School
- Denham Green E-Act Primary Academy
- Waterside Primary Academy
- Waddesdon Church of England School
- Filton Avenue Nursery School
- Fairfield High School
- Elmfield School For Deaf Children
- City of Bristol College
- Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell Church of England Primary School
- Cheney School
- Didcot Girls' School
- Gillotts School
- Hagbourne Church of England Primary School
- Ladygrove Park Primary School
- Stephen Freeman Primary School
- Sutton Courtenay Church of England Primary School
- Thameside Primary School
- Bardwell School
- Icknield Community College
- Sheldon School, Chippenham
- Bowerhill Primary School
- Devizes School and 6th Form
- Drove Primary School
- Forest & Sandbridge CofE Primary School
- Gagle Brook Primary School
- Gorse Hill Primary School
- Grange Infants School
- Grange Junior School
- Haydon Wick Primary School
- Larkhill Primary School
- Melksham Oak Community School
- Moredon Primary & Nursery
- Mountford Manor Primary School
- Nyland Primary SEN School
- Rodbourne Cheney Primary School
- Seend CofE Primary School
- Shaw CofE Primary School
- Southbroom Nursery & Infants' School
- Southwold Primary & Nursery School
- St George's CofE Primary School
- St Luke's Academy SEN School
- St Mary & All Saints CofE Primary School
- St Mary's Broughton Gifford Primary School
- The Croft Primary School
- The Manor CofE Primary School
- The Ridgeway School & 6th Form
- Tregoze Primary School
- West Kidlington Primary & Nursery
- Whitelands Academy Secondary School
- Zouch Academy & Nursery
- Haydonleigh Primary School
- Churchward School
- Royal Wootton Bassett Academy
- Lethbridge Primary School
- Ridgeway School
- Sevenfields Primary School
- Brighton Hill Community School, Basingstoke
- Crestwood Community School, Eastleigh
- Crookhorn Community School, Waterlooville
- Four Lanes Community Junior School, Chineham
- Hatch Warren Infant School, Basingstoke
- Merton Junior School, Basingstoke
- John Hanson Community School, Andover
- Perins School, Alresford
- Petersgate Infant School, Clanfield
- Peter Symonds College, Winchester
- Purbrook Park School, Waterlooville
- Ranvilles Infant School, Fareham
- Rucstall Primary School, Basingstoke
- Swanmore Primary School, Swanmore
- Testbourne Community School, Whitchurch
- The Clere School, Burghclere
- Woodcroft Primary School, Waterlooville
