Dozens of schools in London are closing or part-closing amid rare red warnings over extreme temperatures. Temperatures are forecast to soar to as high as 37°C until Friday, according to the latest forecast for the capital.
Widespread Closures Across London
Hundreds of schools across England and Wales have announced they would close or finish early on several days this week to protect pupils amid the extreme heat. In some cases children have also been told they can wear PE kit rather than full school uniform. Some after-school clubs and trips have also been cancelled. Schools across London have announced they will close completely or will close early, or parents can pick up their pupils early. Check with your child's school and communications they send out to see what the latest situation is at your school.
Union and Government Response
Responding to the closures, school leaders' union NAHT and teachers' union NASUWT have called for school buildings to be modernised and a legally enforceable maximum classroom temperature to be set. The Department for Education said it does not normally advise schools to close during hot weather because attendance is "the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential", but that school leaders should ensure they take "any steps necessary to make sure children are safe and comfortable", as it laid out guidance on how to keep pupils safe.
Affected Schools by Borough
Lewisham
Sydenham School, a secondary school for girls with 1,500 pupils, said it would close at 12.15pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. A letter to parents from headteacher Emma Wijnberg said: "I am writing to inform you of some important changes to our school's schedule due to the extreme heat forecast this week. All students in Year 7, 8 and 9 will be dismissed at 12:15pm on these days. Students are expected to make their own travel arrangements to return home safely. Year 10 and Year 12 students will be dismissed after their Period 3 exams have finished. Year 10 parents will shortly receive a separate email about the rearrangements for afternoon exams this week. We will provide supervision for any students who are unable to leave at 12:15pm. If your child needs to remain in school after early closure, please contact us as soon as possible so we can make appropriate arrangements. The Battle of the Bands event, previously scheduled for Thursday 25th June, is now cancelled due to the extreme heat. It has been rescheduled to Wednesday 1st July, 6 - 8.30pm, all tickets previously purchased will be valid for this date."
Sutton
Cheam High School, with around 2,000 pupils, will run shorter school days until Friday. A statement on the school website reads: "With it expected to reach up to 37 degrees outside, many classroom spaces will become hotter than this, especially in the afternoon, which are not conditions conducive to learning when rooms are filled with students and staff. Due to this, we are going to run compressed days from 8.30am to 1.10pm from Tuesday 23rd June. This will ensure that students will still have 5 lessons each day, although each lesson will be slightly shorter. This will mean that they will not have to be out at lunchtime in the heat but disruption to their education will be minimised. We will be cancelling period 6 and work will be set for Year 12. Year 12 exams will continue as normal. Students who wish to have a school meal before leaving school will be able to purchase this either at break time or at 1.10pm before going home. Please ensure that your child has a full water bottle at the start of the day which they must refill at social time. Please also ensure that they are wearing high factor suncream. Our plans at present are that CheamFest will go ahead as planned on Friday evening. We will update you on Friday about next week, when we hope to return to a normal school day."
Oaks Park High School said it would close in the afternoons from 12.20pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The school stated on its website: "The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff must remain our priority. Despite the measures we have put in place to keep classrooms as cool as possible, the forecast temperatures and heat warnings mean that remaining on site for the full school day is likely to become increasingly uncomfortable and potentially unsafe." Pupils will be provided with work to complete at home on each of the three days. Parents at All Saints Benhilton Primary School have been told they can choose to collect their child earlier at 1.15pm this week.
Hackney
Simon Marks Jewish Primary School closed on 23, 24 and 25 June. Wentworth nursery school shut on June 23 and is closing on the 24th. Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form, with capacity for 1,700 pupils, closed early on June 23 and will be closed completely on June 24 and 25. Other schools closing early include: Cardinal Pole Catholic School closing at 1.20pm; Clapton Girls' Academy closing at 2pm on 24 and 25 June; Gayhurst Community School, Grasmere Primary School, Kingsmead Primary School, and Mandeville Primary School closing from 1pm on 24 June; Millfields Community School and Queensbridge Primary School closed from 1pm on June 23; St. John and St. James CE Primary School, St. John the Baptist CE Primary School, The Garden School and Wentworth Nursery School also closed early on June 23; Shacklewell Primary School adjusted its opening hours from 8am to 1pm from June 23 to 26.
Ealing
Fielding Primary School and Nursery closed at 12pm on Tuesday and remains shut all day Wednesday and Thursday before reopening on Friday. A message on the school website reads: "School, ARP and Nursery close at mid-day on Tuesday 23rd June, all day Wednesday 24th and all day Thursday 25th June. School re-opens on Friday 26th June. We are closing as a result of the red weather warning for extreme heat. We appreciate that many families will be managing children at home in very challenging temperatures. Therefore, our approach to remote learning will be deliberately simple, flexible and focused on keeping children connected with their teachers and classmates, rather than trying to replicate a normal school day." Remote learning by Microsoft Teams starts on Wednesday. EMS lessons, Clubs and Childcare will be refunded.
Croydon
Archbishop Tenison's Church of England High School, an 800-pupil secondary school, will close early at 12.45pm on Wednesday and Thursday. Headteacher Richard Parrish wrote in a letter to parents: "From Tuesday to Thursday pupils should come to school in their PE kit, without having to wear a blazer, but with pens and equipment for lessons and with their fobs for the school canteen. On Wednesday and Thursday, when the temperature will be hottest, we will have lunch earlier during Period 4 (at 12.05pm). After lunch pupils will go to their Form Room, to be registered and accompanied from there by their Form Tutor to the gate for dismissal at 12.45pm. The Year 10 exams on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons will now take place early next week. Unfortunately, the Art Exhibition planned for Thursday will be cancelled. We will have to find other ways to display this work. The Battlefield Information Evening will also be postponed."
Haringey
Belmont Junior School has said parents can collect their children at 1.30pm on Wednesday and Thursday where feasible. Provision will be provided for families unable to do so.
Southwark
Heber Primary School in East Dulwich has cancelled a number of activities and trips and said parents can pick up children from 1.30pm until Thursday. There will be provision for pupils that remain.
Barking and Dagenham
John Perry and Warren Junior schools are closing for two days. Barking Abbey, Eastbury Community, All Saints, Sydney Russell School, Mayesbrook Park, and St Teresa's will all be closing early until Friday. The Warren, Jo Richardson Community School, Dagenham Park Church of England School was closing early for two days. Grafton, Gascoigne, Valence, William Bellamy, Becontree and Godwin schools are all offering parents and carers the chance to pick up children early.
Kensington and Chelsea
Barlby Primary School closed at 1pm on Tuesday. Chelsea Academy closed at 2.35pm on Tuesday. Fox Primary closed at 1.30pm on Tuesday. Avondale Park, Park Walk and Ashburnham will all be closing at 1pm until Friday. Bousfield offered an early optional 1.45pm pick-up time for pupils on Tuesday.
Harrow
Belmont School was closed on Tuesday afternoon due to the heat while Kingsley High School will be fully closed on Wednesday and Thursday. Pinner Park Primary School, St Teresa's Catholic Primary School and Nursery and Vaughan Primary School are partially closed on Wednesday and Thursday. Harrow High School & Sports College, Nower Hill High School and The Helix Education Centre are all closing early on Wednesday and Thursday. Nower will have on-site supervision available until 3.15pm. Whitmore High School will also have early closures.
Waltham Forest
Primary Schools: Barclay Primary School will close at 1.30pm until Friday; Hawkswood Primary school will close at 1pm on Wednesday and Thursday; Parkside Primary School will close at 1.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and likely on Friday; Sybourn Primary School will close at 1.30pm until Friday; Thomas Gamuel Primary School will close at 1.30pm until Friday. Secondary Schools: Hawkswood Secondary School will operate from 9am to 12pm on Wednesday and Thursday; Holy Family School will close at 12.30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; Kelmscott School will close at 12.40pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; Frederick Bremer School will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday; Walthamstow School For Girls will close at 12.30pm on Wednesday and Thursday. Alternative Provisions: North Birkbeck School will operate from 9am to 12pm on Wednesday to Friday.
This is an ongoing list and is being updated as information is provided by councils.
