A 12-year-old girl at Alsop High School in Walton said she was "too embarrassed" to go to school after her maths teacher reportedly told her off for using a handheld electric fan during a lesson on Thursday, June 25, when temperatures soared above 30°C in Merseyside. The Year 7 student, Nicola, who suffers from high blood pressure, was using the fan during fourth period—the hottest part of the school day—while an amber weather warning was in place for the area. The Met Office had issued the warning for Thursday, with temperatures expected to reach around 33°C before easing slightly on Friday.
Incident During Hottest Part of the Day
Nicola's older sister, Viki, told the Liverpool Echo that the classroom lacks air conditioning and that Nicola was using the fan because she experiences high blood pressure, fatigue, and excessive sweating following a recent car accident. "In the scorching heat she brought a small fan into school. During period four, when it was the hottest temperature recorded during the day, she was using her small hand held fan to cool down, she was really red as well," Viki said. "Nicola wasn't talking or being distracting at all, just concentrating on her work. She got worked up over the incident, it's not nice being singled out in front of people. She was embarrassed and it was already really hot yesterday."
School's Response and Measures Taken
Omega Multi-Academy Trust, on behalf of Alsop High School, stated that students were permitted to use handheld fans during the recent period of exceptionally hot weather. The trust said the school is seeking to address this issue with the student's parents directly and that it does not reflect the wider experience of students at the school. The trust added that the school implemented a "huge range" of measures to assist pupils and staff during the hot weather, including relaxing uniform expectations, supplying additional free drinks for students sitting assessments, relocating lessons to cooler areas, and offering free ice-lollies to every student.
A spokesperson for Omega Multi-Academy Trust said: "Throughout this, we have explained to our students the importance of keeping themselves safe and cool and many of our students have used handheld fans." The trust said it was "immensely proud" of the way students and staff dealt with the hot weather.
Family's Complaint and School's Position
Following the incident, Nicola stayed home on Friday, June 26, as she felt too embarrassed to attend school. Viki called the school to acknowledge her absence and complain about the treatment, but she claims the school "ignored" her. The trust confirmed it received a call from a family member but said it was not authorised to discuss Nicola's welfare due to safeguarding and data protection responsibilities. The trust noted that attempts to contact the student's parents were made and that a formal complaint has not been lodged.
Viki expressed confusion over why the fan was banned: "The room has no air condition it was so hot and stuffy." The spokesperson reiterated the school's policy to respond to complaints within 48 hours after investigation, and that they welcome direct engagement with parents to resolve concerns.
Broader Context of Heatwave Disruption
The hot spell caused disruption across Merseyside and beyond, affecting rail services. The school's measures during the heatwave included relaxing uniform expectations to allow PE kit, encouraging students to bring refillable water bottles, providing cups for those without bottles, adjusting lesson content to reduce physical exertion, and adapting all PE lessons. The trust concluded: "We are immensely proud of the way our students and staff have reacted, kept smiling and dealt with the hot weather this week and retained our focus on ensuring the best possible experience for every child."
