Schools across England and Wales are closing and transport bosses have warned people against all but essential travel amid rare red warnings over extreme temperatures that are expected to hit record highs for June.
A “heat-dome” settling over western Europe could bring temperatures of up to 40C in some parts of England and Wales in the middle part of the week, the Met Office has said. Temperatures for the latest heatwave are likely to overtake the June record set in Hampshire in 1976 by several degrees and could come close to the UK’s all-time high of 40.3C which was measured in July 2022.
Red Weather Warning Issued
The hot conditions, which have been very rare in the UK until now, will be accompanied by high humidity and very warm nights, which will make it hard for people to recover overnight, the forecaster warned. A red weather warning for extreme heat covering an area stretching from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham was issued by the Met Office from 9am on Wednesday to 9pm on Thursday.
These are reserved for the most severe events, the Met Office said, meaning this heatwave is expected to bring “severe and significant impacts” including widespread health risks for many, not just those who are normally more vulnerable to the heat, and even danger to life.
Schools Close or Adapt Schedules
Scores of schools across England and Wales announced they would close or finish early on several days this week to protect pupils amid the extreme heat. Children have also been told they can wear PE kit rather than full school uniform, which typically involves long trousers and blazers. Some after-school clubs have also been cancelled.
Many schools in Horsham, West Sussex, are closing early on Wednesday and Thursday, with some setting pupils work to do at home. They include Tanbridge House School, a secondary school with about 1,500 pupils, and the Forest School secondary school. Some children who cannot stay at home will continue to be cared for on site.
Elsewhere, the Buckingham School in Buckinghamshire said it will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, and asked students to take part in online learning. In a statement on its website on Monday, the school said: “Because most of our buildings cannot be cooled adequately and there is little shade outside, we have taken the difficult decision to close the school site on both days (Wednesday and Thursday). All trips and other scheduled activities are also cancelled.” The school, which has around 1,200 students until sixth form, said teachers will upload work online for pupils to complete.
St John’s Marlborough in Wiltshire said it will close early on Tuesday and be shut all day on Wednesday and Thursday before re-opening on Friday. The Dorcan Academy in Swindon, Wiltshire, said on-site learning will finish at 11.30am on Tuesday and the school will remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday. Other schools in Sutton in south London and Haringey in north London have also been forced to close from Tuesday to Thursday.
Some schools will remain open this week but close at about lunchtime on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, including Pewsey Vale School, Dilton Marsh Primary and Malmesbury School in Wiltshire, Ditton Park Academy in Slough, Berkshire, The Bulmershe School in Reading, Berkshire, Cheam High School in Surrey and Sydenham School in London.
Government and Union Guidance
The Department for Education said on its website on Monday that “during hot weather, we don’t normally advise schools to close”. It added: “This is because school attendance is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential, and hot weather can usually be managed safely. School leaders should make sure they take any steps necessary to make sure children are safe and comfortable, and the heat-health alerts can guide this.”
Meanwhile, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said it has written to all its members with guidance on dealing with the heat this week, including the impact on pupils and staff, legal positions and when to consider closure. Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, 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.”
Transport Disruptions Warnings
Advice has also been issued for transport users, with Network Rail warning passengers should “only travel if absolutely essential on Wednesday and Thursday”. Jake Kelly, deputy chief executive of Network Rail, said: “Extreme heat can have a significant impact on the railway, so safety must come first. We’re asking passengers to check before travelling on Tuesday, and only travel if absolutely essential on Wednesday and Thursday if they are going to, from or within the red warning zone as temperatures are expected to peak. If you do need to travel in this area or outside of it where it will still be hot, please plan ahead, allow extra time and take necessary precautions, such as carrying water, to stay safe. We thank passengers for their patience and understanding during this period.”
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a red health warning for six regions of England – the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and east of England – from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday. This indicates “a risk to life for even the healthy population” as well as impacts beyond health and social care, with potential effects on transport systems, food, water, energy supplies and businesses.
Transport for London (TfL) warned customers of possible disruption to rail and Tube services, saying rail temperatures could lead to temporary speed restrictions and reduced services. Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “Customers should be aware that, given the very high temperatures that are forecast, we are likely to see some disruption to rail and Tube services – with rail temperatures likely to lead to temporary speed restrictions and therefore reduced services in some cases. This will vary by line, with some services that share parts of the overground rail network – like the Overground and the Elizabeth line – likely to be more affected.” She added: “We expect bus services to run as normal although, during periods of hot weather, we are encouraging customers to carry water with them when they travel on any of our services.”
The AA said drivers could also see gritters out on some roads this week with the potential for surfaces to soften or become sticky under the heat, with heavy traffic even causing them to rut in some places.
Thunderstorms and Power Outages
Separately, the Met Office said residents in the West Country were battered by thunderstorms on Monday evening, with temperatures dropping four to five degrees across the region. Hundreds of homes in Shepton Mallet, Glastonbury and Bristol were briefly without power due to the weather, according to the National Grid, while Bristol Airport was forced to close because of “a fault with Air Traffic Control systems”, with passengers advised to contact their airlines.
Avon Fire and Rescue Service said a lightning strike was believed to be the cause of a house fire in Emersons Green, Bristol, on Monday evening. A spokesman for the service said crews were alerted to the blaze at 5.55pm and the fire was under control by 10pm. No injuries were reported from the fire, but in an unrelated incident one person was injured near the scene and passed to ambulance crews.
