UK School Closures Skyrocket to 200 Due to Extreme Heatwave
UK School Closures Reach 200 as Extreme Heatwave Hits

More than 200 schools across the United Kingdom have closed or sent children home early as a blistering heatwave brings temperatures of up to 40°C, prompting a rare red 'danger to life' warning from the Met Office. The extreme heat has forced headteachers to activate emergency closure plans, with some schools switching to remote learning and others shutting gates early to avoid the peak afternoon sun.

Red Warning and Heat Dome

The Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning covering a vast area from London to Swansea and from Somerset to Birmingham, in effect from 9am Wednesday to 9pm Thursday. Forecasters warn that a 'heat dome' trapped over western Europe could break the UK's all-time record high of 40.3°C, set in July 2022. Officials state the heat brings 'severe and significant impacts,' with health risks even for young and healthy individuals.

Schools in South East England, South West England, London, the East Midlands, and the East of England have already confirmed closures. Some pupils are logging onto laptops for lockdown-style online learning, while other schools are dismissing students early to beat the lunchtime sun. School leaders are particularly concerned about vulnerable children at higher risk of heatstroke and heat-related illnesses.

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Union Guidance and Government Advice

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), confirmed the union has issued emergency advice. He said: 'While there is no legal upper limit for temperature in schools, [school leaders] will certainly be doing all they can to mitigate the effects of such high temperatures.' Official government guidance typically advises schools to stay open by relaxing uniform rules, but the unprecedented 40°C threat has forced heads to take extreme action.

List of Affected Schools

The following schools have confirmed early closures or a shift to remote learning:

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Wiltshire and Swindon

  • Clarendon Academy, Trowbridge
  • Churchward School
  • Devizes School and 6th Form
  • Drove Primary School
  • Gagle Brook Primary School
  • Gorse Hill Primary School
  • Grange Infants School
  • Grange Junior School
  • Haydonleigh Primary School
  • Haydon Wick Primary School
  • Kingdown School, Warminster
  • Larkhill Primary School
  • Lethbridge Primary School
  • Malmesbury School, Wiltshire
  • Melksham Oak Community School
  • Moredon Primary & Nursery
  • Mountford Manor Primary School
  • New Close School, Warminster
  • Nyland Primary SEN School
  • Pewsey Vale School, Pewsey
  • Ridgeway School
  • Rodbourne Cheney Primary School
  • Royal Wootton Bassett Academy
  • Sevenfields Primary School
  • Silverwood School, Wiltshire
  • Southwold Primary & Nursery School
  • St John’s Marlborough School, Marlborough
  • St Luke’s Academy SEN School
  • St Michael’s School, Larkhill
  • The Croft Primary School
  • The Dorcan Academy, Swindon
  • The Ridgeway School & 6th Form
  • Tregoze Primary School

Gloucestershire

  • Archway School, Stroud
  • Finlay Community School, Gloucester
  • Kingsholm Primary, Gloucester

Bristol and Somerset

  • Banwell Primary School
  • Baytree School
  • Bishops Lydeard Church School, Somerset
  • Bowerhill Primary School
  • Bournville Primary School (including nursery and preschool)
  • Burnham-on-Sea Infants School
  • Cheddar First School
  • Chidden Fitzpaine Primary School
  • City of Bristol College
  • Curry Rivel CofE VC Primary School
  • Elmfield School For Deaf Children
  • Elmhurst Junior School, Street
  • Fairfield High School
  • Filton Avenue Nursery School
  • Fiveways School, Yeovil
  • Forest & Sandbridge CofE Primary School
  • Hans Price Academy
  • Herne View Primary School, Ilminster
  • High Ham C of E Primary School
  • Keinton Mandeville Primary School
  • Kewstoke Primary School
  • Kingsbury Episcopi Primary School
  • Kingsmead School, Wiveliscombe
  • Locking Primary School (including nursery and preschool)
  • Mead Vale Primary School
  • Meare Village Primary School
  • Mendip Green Primary School
  • Nailsea School
  • Nerrols Primary School
  • Norton Fitzwarren Church School
  • Norton-Sub-Hamdon Church School
  • Oldmixton Primary School (including nursery and preschool)
  • Reckleford Infant School and Nursery
  • Seend CofE Primary School
  • Shaw CofE Primary School
  • Shepton Beauchamp Church School
  • Southbroom Nursery & Infants’ School
  • Staplegrove Church School, Taunton
  • St Andrew’s Church School, Taunton
  • St Dunstan’s School, Glastonbury
  • St George’s CofE Primary School
  • St James Church School, Taunton
  • St Joseph’s RC Primary School, Burnham-On-Sea
  • St Mary & All Saints CofE Primary School
  • St Mary’s Broughton Gifford Primary School
  • St Mary and St Peter’s School, Ilton
  • St Michael’s Academy, Somerset
  • The Manor CofE Primary School
  • The Mendip School, Shepton Mallet
  • Wadham Community School, Crewkerne
  • Walliscote Primary School
  • Windwhistle Primary School (including preschool)
  • Whitstone School, Shelton Mallet
  • Zouch Academy & Nursery

Buckinghamshire

  • Aylesbury Vale Academy
  • Bierton Church of England Combined School
  • Brookmead School Bourton
  • Buckinghamshire Primary Pupil Referral Unit
  • Chalfont Valley E-ACT Primary Academy
  • Chalfonts Community College
  • Chepping View Primary Academy
  • Denham Green E-Act Primary Academy
  • Denham Village School
  • Disraeli School and Children’s Centre
  • Dropmore Infant School
  • Farnham Common Infant School
  • Farnham Common Junior School
  • Gerrards Cross CofE School
  • Great Kimble Church of England School
  • Great Kingshill Church of England Combined School
  • Green Ridge Primary Academy
  • Haydon Abbey School and Pre-School
  • Hughenden Primary School
  • Iver Heath Junior School
  • Iver Village Junior School
  • Ivingswood Academy
  • Kingsbrook View Academy
  • Kite Ridge School
  • Ley Hill School
  • Marsworth Church of England Infant School
  • Meadow Academy
  • Misbourne School
  • Oakridge School
  • Orchard View Primary Academy
  • Overstone Combined School
  • Princes Risborough Primary School
  • Quainton Church of England School
  • St Mary’s Farnham Royal CofE Primary School
  • The Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery
  • The Steeple Claydon School
  • Turnfurlong Infant School
  • Waddesdon Church of England School
  • Waddesdon Village Primary School
  • Waterside Primary Academy
  • Weston Turville Church of England School
  • Wooburn Green Primary School

Hampshire and Southampton

  • Brighton Hill Community School, Basingstoke
  • Cranbourne School, Basingstoke
  • Crestwood Community School, Eastleigh
  • Crookhorn Community School, Waterlooville
  • Eggar’s School, Alton
  • Four Lanes Community Junior School, Chineham
  • Grateley Primary School, Grateley
  • Harrow Way Community School, Andover
  • Hatch Warren Infant School, Basingstoke
  • Henry Tyndale School, Hart and Rushmore
  • John Hanson Community School, Andover
  • Merton Junior School, Basingstoke
  • Perins School, Alresford
  • Peter Symonds College, Winchester
  • Petersgate Infant School, Clanfield
  • Purbrook Park School, Waterlooville
  • Ranvilles Infant School, Fareham
  • Rucstall Primary School, Basingstoke
  • St Johns Primary and Nursery School, Southampton
  • St Marks C of E School, Southampton
  • St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Woolston
  • Stoke Park Infant School, Winchester and Eastleigh
  • Swanmore College, Swanmore
  • Swanmore Primary School, Swanmore
  • Testbourne Community School, Whitchurch
  • The Buckinghamshire School
  • The Clere School, Burghclere
  • The Hurst School, Tadley
  • Woodcroft Primary School, Waterlooville

Berkshire and Oxfordshire

  • Bardwell School
  • Beechwood Primary School, Woodley
  • Birch Hill Primary School and Nursery
  • Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell Church of England Primary School
  • Brimpton Primary School
  • Cheney School
  • Churchend Primary School, Reading
  • Cranbury College, Reading
  • Didcot Girls’ School
  • Ditton Park Academy, Slough
  • Gillotts School, Henley
  • Great Hollands Primary School, Bracknell
  • Hagbourne Church of England Primary School, Didcot
  • Hamilton School, Reading
  • Icknield Community College
  • John Rankin Infant and Nursery School
  • John Rankin Junior School
  • Katesgrove Primary School, Reading
  • King’s Academy Prospect, Reading
  • Ladygrove Park Primary School, Didcot
  • Maiden Erlegh School
  • Maiden Erlegh School, Chiltern Edge
  • Maiden Erlegh School, Reading
  • Oak Tree School, Wokingham
  • Piggot C of E School, Wargrave
  • Radstock Primary School, Earley
  • Reading School, Reading
  • River Academy, Reading
  • St Birinius School, Didcot
  • St Crispins School, Wokingham
  • Stephen Freeman Primary School
  • Sutton Courtenay Church of England Primary School
  • Thameside Primary School, Caversham
  • The Bulmershe School, Reading
  • The Willows Primary School, Newbury
  • West Kidlington Primary & Nursery
  • Whitelands Academy Secondary School
  • Willow Bank Infant School, Woodley

London

  • All Saints Benhilton Primary School, Sutton
  • Belmont Junior School, Haringey
  • Cheam High School, Sutton
  • Fielding Primary School and Nursery, Ealing
  • Oaks Park High School, Sutton
  • Sydenham School, Lewisham
  • Wren Academy, Enfield

Devonshire

  • Clyst Vale Community College, Exeter
  • Ottery St Mary Primary School, Devon
  • The Park Community School, Devon
  • The Promise School, Devon
  • The Shoreline Academy, Barnstaple

Bedfordshire

  • Woodland Middle School Academy, Flitwick (year seven and eight only)

Sussex

  • Heathfield College, East Sussex

Northamptonshire

  • Isebrook School, Kettering