British schools need schedule changes and building upgrades to handle extreme heat

British schools may need to change daily start times, extend summer breaks, and move exams out of the hottest months to cope with severe heatwaves. Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, said extreme heat caused major problems for teachers and students this summer as classroom temperatures rose above 40 degrees Celsius and many young people were sent home.

Impact

During the June heatwave, at least 760,000 schoolchildren in England and Wales missed classes due to school closures, resulting in pupils losing more than 15 million hours of lesson time. Teachers reported that learning became nearly impossible while temperatures broke records, leaving children and staff dealing with headaches, nausea, and fatigue. Kebede noted that the crisis hit disadvantaged communities the hardest, as many children returned home to flats unsuited for hot weather.

Context

Climate scientists note that extreme heat events are becoming more frequent and severe across Europe, putting pressure on public infrastructure built for past climate conditions. Schools in the UK often occupy older buildings like Victorian structures or 1960s blocks that trap heat easily without modern cooling systems.