Full list of schools closing or shutting early as heatwave scorches
Hundreds of schools in England and Wales are being forced to send children home this week as the UK continues to grapple with extreme temperatures.
A rare red alert for heat went into effect Wednesday, with rising temperatures breaking the record for the hottest June day ever seen on consecutive Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The mercury climbed to 36.7C in Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday as forecasters warned temperatures would remain extreme on Friday.
While teachers expressed their concerns for the safety of their students during the heat wave, many schools remained closed due to predictions that extreme temperatures would increase further.
Parts of London, south-east England and east England are under a red warning until 9pm on Friday.
Some schools and nurseries in England and Wales are expected to remain closed or partially closed on Friday.
Follow The Independent’s live coverage for the latest updates on the UK heatwave
Although there is no maximum temperature limit for classrooms, schools can decide whether to close early. Schools in Somerset, Buckinghamshire, Sussex, Gloucestershire and other areas announced full or partial closures on Friday.
Parents can use The Independent’s school closure tool to check the status of schools in their area:
Children in some schools have also been told they can wear PE kit instead of the full school uniform, which includes long trousers and a blazer.
The Met Office has warned that exceptional heat could once again break records set earlier this week on Friday.
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It was stated that some places may feel slightly cool due to the strong breeze blowing from the south.
Forecasters say the weather event was caused by a “heat dome” settling over Western Europe, as countries on the continent also faced extreme conditions.
Met Office chief scientist Professor Stephen Belcher CBE said: “This week’s heatwave is a significant weather event for which a Red Extreme Heat warning has been issued. Human-caused climate change has made such events more likely and more intense.”
“It’s sobering to see temperatures like these in the UK in June. Events like this are a reminder of the effects of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity affecting sectors as diverse as transport, energy and water supply, as well as significant health consequences from heat stress.”
