School closures Sheffield: Schools closing, shutting early and cancelling trips due to heatwave

The Star reported on Saturday how Grenoside Community Primary School had announced it would be closed on Monday, July 18 and Tuesday, July 19 due to the unprecedented heatwave, with an amber weather warning in place and record-breaking temperatures of up to 38C forecast for the city.

We are now aware of several more schools in Sheffield which are either shutting, sending pupils home early, cancelling trips and events, moving lessons or letting students wear their PE kits due to the heat.

Chaucer School in Parson Cross said it would shut at 12.55pm each day but if students need to stay in school until the end of the day staff would be available to supervise them. It has also postponed a planned ‘rewards’ trip to Flamingo Land and is allowing students to wear their PE kit and a hat.

It is understood that Tapton School, which is also part of the Tapton School Academy Trust, whose other schools are Hillsborough Primary, Hallam Primary, Forge Valley and Meynell Primary, is also closing at lunchtime on both days.

Schools cancelling trips, moving classes and letting pupils wear PE kit

A parent told The Star that Heritage Park school would be closing at lunchtime on Monday and Tuesday, though this has not been confirmed by the school.

Meadowhead, Stocksbridge High, Sheffield Springs Academy and Outwood Academy City are among the schools which have said students can wear their PE kit both days.

Outwood also said it was postponing its awards evening and there would be no ‘vigorous’ activity outdoors during PE lessons.

Westfield School said it had decided to postpone its celebration evening until September, Silverdale School said it would modify PE lessons to avoid ‘strenuous’ activities in the sun.

King Edward VII School said the planned trip to Alton Powers had been postponed on ‘health and safety grounds’, and that some classes would be moved to cooler rooms.

Yewlands Academy said it had chosen to remain open as it was concerned some children would potentially be more at risk if home alone. But it said pupils would be allowed to wear their PE kit and it had more than 1,000 bottles of cold water and ice pops which would be handed out for free to students.

One parent said the reason for Grenoside Community Primary School closing was the fact it has a metal roof and is ‘mostly glass’, meaning temperatures in classrooms last week were 9C higher than temperatures outside.

An amber warning for extreme heat is in place in Sheffield until the end of Tuesday, with the Met Office forecasting temperatures will hit 38C.

What is the advice to schools during heatwave?

The Department for Education has said it is not advising schools to close during high temperatures but that school leaders should ‘make sure they take any steps necessary to make sure children are safe and comfortable’.

The Department of Health & Social Care has said it does not recommend schools closing in the extreme heat but, if necessary, they should consider rearranging their start, finish and play times to avoid teaching during very hot conditions.

Parents are advised to check with their child’s school what measures it has in place during the extreme heat.