The Met Office have issued a rare red warning for extreme heat from 9am on Wednesday 24th June until midnight on Friday 26th June.
This means that the risk of ill-health to otherwise healthy people becomes likely.
We should consider significant changes to working practices and daily routines.
From today we are making the following changes:
- Ensuring the maximum amount of ventilation in the school site. You will see more high-level windows open and we will ensure that the roof is open overnight this week to allow any heat to escape.
- Closing blinds where possible.
- School uniform is suspended. Children should wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing or PE kit. Children wearing jumpers or coats will be asked to remove them.
- Children should wear a sun hat outdoors.
- Children should bring sunscreen that can be reapplied through the day. Please write your child’s name on this or speak to your child’s teacher, who will add a sticker.
- Reduce the use of electronic equipment such as iPads to reduce heat in classes.
- All children must continue to bring a water bottle. Children are being encouraged to drink more and expect to have more frequent restroom breaks.
From Wednesday, when the Red warning comes into force we will:
- Move classes to cooler parts of the school where possible.
- Remain indoors where possible.
- More frequent, shorter breaks during the day. We are lucky to have different areas of shade on our site.
- Prohibit running or vigorous activity (games like football will be suspended at lunchtime).
- We will only be offering a cold lunch (sandwiches) as the kitchen will become too hot for staff to work in while providing normal school lunches. Families may prefer to send children with their own packed lunch.
- There will be no after-school clubs provision on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
- Children may be collected from 1:30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, if parents choose to do so. This is only where children are collected by an adult who can sign them out. Children who walk home alone will leave at 3:15 unless collected by an adult.
Keeping everyone safe
The majority of our staff received first aid training in January that covers recognising the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness and how to treat it. All staff will be vigilant for these. Children with pre-existing conditions will be checked more regularly. We would rather send a child home where they might be more comfortable than risk serious harm.
We are risk assessing on a constant basis, this is not just on the actual temperature of the spaces, but factoring in humidity and ventilation. We will be monitoring the wellbeing of children.
If you notice your child is unwell, hasn’t slept, or has a pre-existing medical condition and that you are worried about the heat having a greater impact on your child’s wellbeing you may consider keeping them at home. You must report this in the same way as any other absence.
Given our experience this week we are highly unlikely to close the school.
How can you help
Look out for signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. The following guidance from the NHS may be helpful:
The symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
- tiredness
- dizziness
- headache
- feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- excessive sweating and skin becoming pale and clammy (a change in skin colour can be harder to see on brown or black skin)
- cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
- a high temperature
- being very thirsty
- feeling irritable
The symptoms of heat exhaustion are often the same in adults and children.
If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion they need to be cooled down and given fluids.
Symptoms of heatstroke
The symptoms of heatstroke include:
- a very high temperature
- hot skin without sweating
- fast breathing and a fast heartbeat
- confusion and restlessness
- seizure (fit)
- loss of consciousness
Heatstroke is a medical emergency. Get immediate medical help if someone has the symptoms of heatstroke.
If someone has heat exhaustion, follow these 4 steps:
- Move them to a cool place.
- Remove all unnecessary clothing like a jacket or socks.
- Give them plenty of water to drink – you can also give them an isotonic sports drink or oral rehydration powder that you mix with water, which will help replace salt lost through sweating.
- Cool their skin – spray or sponge them with cool water and fan them. Cold packs, wrapped in a cloth and put under the armpits or on the neck are good too.
Stay with them until they’re better.
They should start to cool down and feel better within 30 minutes.
