UK Heatwave: Some Schools Still Don’t Allow Sunscreen, Experts Call For Change

With summers getting hotter and rates of skin cancer rising, it might come as a surprise to hear some UK schools have policies in place that do not allow children to bring in their own sunscreen for reapplication throughout the day.

At some UK primary schools, for instance, parents are encouraged to apply sunscreen to their children before school – and that’s it.

Yet even sun creams claiming to be long-lasting wouldn’t last the entire school day, nor would it outlast after-school clubs.

Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, said if kids are in direct sunlight (which they typically will be at break and over lunch) “sunscreen should be reapplied every three hours”.

Government guidance says that in early years childcare settings (typically under-4s), sunscreen should be applied generously and reapplied every two hours. The NHS advises the same.

But for children in primary school, there is no blanket guidance.

Marie Tudor, CEO of national skin cancer prevention charity SKCIN, told HuffPost UK that applying sunscreen before school, while important, “is highly unlikely to provide adequate protection throughout an entire school day, especially during the summer months when UV levels are highest”.

There are a few factors to consider: one is the application of sunscreen. For those teaching younger children in particular, they simply wouldn’t have time to apply sun cream to 30+ students.

There’s also a safeguarding consideration. The National Education Union (NEU), for example, advises teachers not to apply sunscreen to pupils, “mainly because of the potential for allegations of abuse but also because allergies”.

NEU guidance is that if schools do opt to let teachers apply sun cream, parental consent should be obtained – and staff should only apply sunscreen to the face, neck and arms of pupils.

One way to navigate this is that children could apply it themselves – and some schools do allow this, but not all. Roll-on sun creams and applicators like Solar Buddies can be useful for teaching younger kids in particular how to apply it themselves.

Allergies are also a cause for concern – although allergic reactions to sunscreens are pretty uncommon.

Anne Biggs, deputy head of clinical services at Allergy UK, said that while some sunscreens can cause an itchy reaction, “it is more likely to be that the skin is sensitive and irritated by that product rather than an allergy”. For children with eczema and sensitive skin, this may be more likely.

The charity SKCIN launched a Sun Safe Schools programme in 2012 and, since then, has focused on embedding preventative sun safety education into UK primary schools.

Tudor, the CEO, said most reactions are linked to specific ingredients rather than sunscreen itself, and these can often be avoided through careful product selection.

“Parents can support schools by providing clearly labelled sunscreen suitable for their child, informing schools of any known allergies and carrying out patch testing where there are concerns,” she explained.

“Schools can minimise risk by having clear sun protection policies, obtaining parental consent where appropriate and encouraging children to use their own named products rather than sharing sunscreen.”

She added: “In our experience, the risks associated with inadequate sun protection and sunburn far outweigh the relatively low risk of adverse reactions when sensible precautions are in place.”

Melanoma, the most deadly skin cancer, is now the UK’s fifth most common cancer and deaths from melanoma skin cancer have risen by 150% since the 1970s, according to Cancer Research UK.

A person’s risk of developing melanoma doubles with a history of five or more sunburns.

SKCIN is calling for UK schools to adopt practical sun protection measures that reflect current public health guidance – especially as data shows UK summers are getting hotter, and around 90% of melanoma cases are linked to UV exposure.

Data shared by the Children’s Burns Trust shows severe child sunburn injuries increased sharply in 2025, when 252 sunburn cases in children were admitted to a Specialist Burns Unit – a 46.5% rise from 172 cases in 2024. Ken Dunn, vice chair at the charity, said sunburn is “painful, distressing and entirely preventable”.

“Schools have a duty of care to safeguard children’s health and wellbeing, and sun protection should be viewed no differently from other measures taken to protect pupils from avoidable harm,” said Tudor.

“While schools routinely manage medicines, allergies and a wide range of health and safety considerations, sunburn remains one of the few entirely preventable health harms that many children still experience during the school day.

“Given the well-established link between childhood sunburn and future skin cancer risk, this is an issue that deserves greater attention.”

The charity is calling for school policies to be amended so that children can bring sunscreen to school for self-application, where age-appropriate, or with support from staff where required.

“This should sit alongside other important sun safety measures such as providing shade, encouraging the use of hats and protective clothing, and avoiding prolonged exposure during peak UV hours,” Tudor added.

“Ultimately, the goal is to prevent sunburn and establish lifelong sun-safe habits that can significantly reduce future skin cancer risk.

“By normalising sun protection in schools, we have an opportunity not only to protect children today, but to reduce the burden of skin cancer for future generations.”