King Edward VII School partially closes as temperature in classroom soars to 30°C on hottest day for decades

A headteacher at a Sheffield secondary school has closed the lower school this afternoon after classroom temperatures soared to 30°C, sparking fears ‘it is too hot for staff and students to safely work on site’.
By Sarah Marshall
Published 18th Jul 2022, 13:35 BST
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King Edward VII School Headteacher, Linda Gooden, confirmed she had made the decision to close the Lower School this afternoon because she anticipated classroom temperatures were ‘set to get hotter’.

Ms Gooden also said that considering the weather predictions for tomorrow (Tuesday, July 19) the Lower School site ‘will not open to students because it will be too hot, which will put staff and students at risk of heat related problems’.

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Today marks the hottest day in decades with temperatures in excess of 37°C expected in many parts of the country, prompting a red alert warning from the Met Office, which states the extreme heat presents a ‘danger to life’.

King Edward VII School Headteacher, Linda Gooden, confirmed she had made the decision to close the Lower School this afternoon because she anticipated classroom temperatures were ‘set to get hotter’.King Edward VII School Headteacher, Linda Gooden, confirmed she had made the decision to close the Lower School this afternoon because she anticipated classroom temperatures were ‘set to get hotter’.
King Edward VII School Headteacher, Linda Gooden, confirmed she had made the decision to close the Lower School this afternoon because she anticipated classroom temperatures were ‘set to get hotter’.

The record-breaking heatwave is set to continue tomorrow, with temperatures of up to 40°C expected in some parts of the city, prompting a number of Sheffield schools to close early while others have closed completely and some have opted to allow students to wear their PE kits.

In a letter to parents, Ms Gooden confirmed King Edwards VII Upper School would remain open today, as she set out what time each year in the Lower School would be dismissed this afternoon.

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She said: “Year 7 students will be dismissed between 12.05pm – 1pm after lunch time; Year 8 students will be dismissed between 1pm and 1.55pm after lunch time; Year 9 students will be dismissed between 12.15pm – 1.10pm before lunch time but they can stay on site to have their lunch.”

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Ms Gooden said that children would have to confirm they have a safe destination to return to before leaving the school site, adding that work for this afternoon would be set via Google Classroom.

She added: “I will review the position at Upper School at the end of the day. Currently, the Upper School site will be open to students and staff on Tuesday, July 19, 2022.”

The heatwave is expected to come to an end on Wednesday, July 20, when rain and thunderstorms are forecast, and the temperature is expected to drop significantly, with highs of 24°C expected.

Related topics:SheffieldMet Office