St Peter's Catholic Primary School in Noctorum, Wirral, has announced it will be closed for all staff and pupils tomorrow due to emergency waterworks. The school, located on St Peter's Way, issued a statement on its Facebook page just before 2pm on Thursday, July 9, urging parents to share the news.
School Closure Details
The post read: "Please share: the school will be closed tomorrow due to emergency waterworks." The closure affects all pupils and staff, with no further details provided about the nature of the waterworks or expected duration.
Context of Recent School Closures
This closure comes after a period of extreme heat in the region. Last month, hundreds of schools across Liverpool and Wirral altered their timetables or closed entirely as the Met Office issued warnings of very hot weather, which could cause "population-wide adverse health effects" and potential serious illness or danger to life. However, there is no legal maximum temperature that mandates school closures.
Department for Education Guidance
The Department for Education's hot weather and heatwaves guidance states: "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." It advises school leaders to take necessary steps to ensure children's safety and comfort, guided by heat-health alerts.
Recommendations include relaxing uniform rules, encouraging loose, light-coloured clothing, using sunhats and sunscreen, and promoting shade during outdoor activities. Teachers are also advised to allow pupils to remove blazers and jumpers.
Impact on Parents and Pupils
Parents of St Peter's pupils are advised to make alternative arrangements for childcare tomorrow. The school has not indicated when normal operations will resume, pending resolution of the waterworks issue.
