More than 1,000 schools across England and Wales are either fully or partially closed over the next two days as a rare red extreme heat warning comes into force. The Met Office warning covers an area stretching from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham, as well as Brighton, Portsmouth and Southampton, with temperatures predicted to hit 40C on Wednesday and Thursday.
Despite the widespread closures, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has urged parents to send their children to school if the institutions remain open, stating that “every day of absence and lesson missed has a cost”.
Greggs Closes 11 Stores Due to Heat
Greggs, the high-street bakery chain, has temporarily closed 11 stores on Tuesday and Wednesday due to safety concerns for staff. Speaking to the BBC, one Greggs staff member said: “It's very hot. We have industrial ovens but no proper air conditioning in stores.”
The affected stores are located in Aldridge, Wolverhampton, Luton, Gosport, Trowbridge, Barnet, Marlborough, Wantage, Dudley, Northampton, and Leicester Square, London.
School Adjustments and Advice
Hundreds of schools have made decisions to either close completely, send children home early, or make other adjustments such as relaxing uniform rules to help keep students and staff safe and comfortable. The Education Secretary emphasised the importance of minimising disruption to learning.
This is a breaking news story and is being constantly updated.
