Will UK Schools Be Forced To Shut In June Heatwave?

Much of the south is in the grips of another heatwave, with temperatures set to hit highs of 37°C this week.

In southeast Wales, temperatures are expected to reach 35°C, while eastern areas are set to see a toasty 33°C.

As a result, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a series of red, amber and yellow heat health alerts.

The Met Office has also issued a rare red extreme heat warning for parts of central and southern England and Wales, running from Monday to Thursday evening.

It is likely the current highest temperature on record for June (35.6°C recorded in Southampton in June 1976) will be broken.

While school leaders scramble to make the school day more comfortable for pupils – relaxing uniform rules, encouraging kids to stay hydrated and wear sun hats, and keeping them in the shade or indoors for the hottest parts of the day – some parents (and teachers) will likely be wondering whether there’s a temperature threshold where children might need to remain home instead.

As it stands, there’s no maximum threshold set where it would be deemed too hot to go to school.

A blog post from the UK government in 2025 said: “During hot weather, we don’t normally advise schools to close. 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.”

But the same guidance suggests that using fans at temperatures above 35°C “may not prevent heat-related illness and could worsen dehydration”.

Some UK schools do not have sufficient cooling measures in place.

On 22 June, a handful of schools in the west of England confirmed to the BBC they’d be finishing lessons early, around lunchtime, as a result of the heat.

The Met Office’s red heat alert has warned of “population-wide averse health effects” which are not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat and can lead to “serious illness or danger to life”.

Children are more vulnerable to the effects of heat stress as they “sweat less per kilogram than adults and have a higher metabolism, which means they get hot quicker”, according to Unicef.

They’re also outdoors a lot more – playing, running around and engaging in sports – which puts them more at risk for heat exposure.

Young children are also at risk of dehydration as they won’t always remember to drink lots of water, which can be dangerous to health.

Some organisations are calling for one – or at the very least, better cooling systems so children can go to school safely when it is hot.

In May 2026, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published a report urging the UK government to improve infrastructure for “better cooling” as the climate heats up.

The frequency and intensity of heatwaves has increased worldwide and Met Office projections suggest hot spells will become more frequent in the UK, especially the south east.

As a result, the CCC called for investment in cooling – including air conditioning, heat pumps and green shading – across key public services. This would include schools and nurseries.

It also said there should be a “national maximum temperature” for workplaces to protect workers’ safety and incentivise the deployment of cooling systems.

The National Education Union (NEU) has said that “because of the nature of the way in which education staff work, and the presence of children, a maximum indoor working temperature of 26°C is appropriate”. This week’s temperatures will far exceed that.

On 22 June, it called for urgent funding to make schools safe in the hot weather.

“A funding injection could be used implement adaptations, including air conditioning, which will make them more resilient to extreme heat,” it shared on social media.

The NEU also suggested that when a red alert is issued for extreme heat, “school and college employers must ensure that an immediate, additional risk assessment is carried out and the control measures indicated are enacted, which could include full or partial closure of the site”.