Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has urged parents to send their children to school if it remains open during the ongoing heatwave, as more than 1,000 schools across the UK closed or partially shut on Wednesday due to record-breaking temperatures.
Schools and Heatwave Measures
Speaking on Wednesday, Phillipson, a mother of two, said: "I know hot weather can be a struggle. But my message to families is simple: if your child’s school is open, you should keep sending them into school." She highlighted that teachers are relaxing uniform rules, keeping classrooms cool, ensuring hydration, teaching water safety, and avoiding vigorous activity on the hottest days.
Phillipson added: "If your child has medical needs which mean you’re especially worried about the heat, talk to your school about what they can do. Every day of absence and lesson missed has a cost – and that cost falls hardest on our most disadvantaged pupils and working class communities. So, pack a water bottle, put on the sunscreen, and trust that your child’s school has got this."
Record-Breaking Temperatures
The UK experienced its hottest June day on record, with the mercury hitting 36C in Wisley, Surrey, and Gosport, Hampshire. This surpassed the previous record of 35.6C set earlier in the day in Charlwood, Surrey. The heat dome pushing temperatures towards 40C prompted a rare red weather warning from the Met Office for Wednesday and Thursday, as well as a red heat health alert indicating a risk to life even for the healthy population.
School Closures and Infrastructure Concerns
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, called for urgent investment in school buildings, stating: "Our Victorian school buildings have become greenhouses. We need urgent, massive capital investment to retrofit our ageing school estates with proper ventilation, shading and climate-resilient cooling infrastructure."
Travel Disruption and Water Restrictions
Rail services across Britain faced severe disruption, with operators urging passengers to travel only if absolutely necessary. Trains reduced speeds to prevent tracks from buckling. Avanti West Coast saw four out of five services cancelled or delayed by more than 30 minutes on Wednesday morning. South East Water introduced a hosepipe ban as demand surged, while other water companies urged conservation.
Health and Safety Warnings
The RSPCA advised dog owners not to walk their pets at any time of day due to the extreme heat. Veterinary nurse Lauren Bennet said: "Just like people, it can be fatal, which is why we tell people to change their behaviour because our pets are completely under our control so the responsibility is on us."
The National Energy System Operator issued a rare electricity supply warning, cautioning that the heat could strain the power network. A London School of Economics event on extreme heat was cancelled due to the red warning. Wimbledon qualifying was suspended after the automated line-calling system failed in the heat, with no reserve line judges available.
Forecast and Further Warnings
British Weather Services senior meteorologist Jim Dale warned that Thursday could be worse, with humidity making temperatures feel up to 10C hotter. He said: "It’s Marmite weather; you either love it and enjoy it, or you suffer... and the sufferers are going to feel it big time."
The Met Office issued an amber warning for heat on Friday for eastern and central England, and a yellow warning for thunderstorms across parts of southern England, with heavy downpours and lightning expected. Spokesman Grahame Madge said: "As the forecast continues to evolve we may need to issue further updates once more detail becomes clear."
Phillipson also backed the Mirror's 'Save Lives for Sam' campaign, encouraging schools to teach water safety before the summer holidays.
