More than 1,200 schools and nurseries across England and Wales will be either fully or partially closed on Thursday, with many continuing to stay shut on Friday, as the UK faces a record-breaking heatwave. A rare red extreme heat warning from the Met Office remains in effect, covering an area from London and the south coast to Swansea, Somerset, and Birmingham, active until late Thursday.
Record-Breaking Temperatures and Widespread Disruption
Weather forecasters have cautioned that temperatures could climb even further today, potentially smashing already record-breaking highs. The Met Office warned that the exceptional heat will push northwards on Thursday, "with an even hotter day ahead for some with amber and red extreme heat warnings in force." The forecaster cautioned that "significant disruption to daily life is likely."
Earlier this week, numerous schools announced they would shut to some degree in anticipation of the soaring temperatures, as school buildings simply aren't built to cope with such intense heat. Pupils at some schools have been permitted to wear their PE kit in place of full school uniform, which typically includes long trousers and blazers.
Impact on Parents and Families
Parents have been left facing difficulties as numerous schools are requesting that children be collected at lunchtime, rather than the usual afternoon pick-up times. Working parents have the right to take up to four weeks of unpaid parental leave annually, which can be used in cases of sudden school closures.
The closures span a wide range of regions, including Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Birmingham and Staffordshire, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Devon, Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater London, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Kent, Manchester, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Southampton, Sussex, Swindon, Weston-super-Mare (and North Somerset), Wiltshire, Worcestershire, Yorkshire, and Wales (including Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, and Torfaen).
