Heatwave: Schools to send pupils home as Met Office warns of ‘exceptionally’ hot weather

MET Office: Mercury to hit 27 on Friday as heatwave continues

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Exceptional heat is possible for southern and central areas of the UK late this weekend and early next week, with temperatures likely in excess of 35C in some places. Children could also be kept at home and barred from playing outside as schools said they were struggling to concentrate in the heat.

Parents of children at three primary schools in Herefordshire have been told pupils will “not be allowed outside to play” and PE lessons will not take place.

A letter to parents at Marlbrook, Little Dewchurch and St Martin’s Primary School said: “We are also giving parents the option to keep children at home on Monday.”

Meanwhile, Hereford Academy is changing its timetable, starting the day at 8.30am and sending pupils home at 2pm.

Clapton Girls’ Academy, in east London, will send children home at 12.30pm on Monday and Tuesday.

In a letter to parents, Anna Feltham, the head teacher, wrote: “Already, many classrooms are very hot, even with fans, and students are struggling to keep cool, drink enough water and maintain concentration in lessons.”

Rooms would be “unbearably hot” by the end of the day next week and there were not enough “cool” rooms to move lessons into, she said.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning that could pose “a danger to life” is in place for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Temperatures could break the current national record of 38.7C, which was set in 2019.

Temperatures are also set to remain high overnight, particularly in urban areas, with a high likelihood of tropical nights – when minimum temperatures don’t drop below 20C – for some early next week.

A Level 3 UK Health Security Agency Heat Health Alert, which is aimed at those specifically in the health and social care sector, has also been issued from Saturday to Tuesday, advising people to look out for vulnerable people and those with underlying health conditions.

Heatwave criteria, when specific temperature thresholds must be exceeded three days running, had already been met in some locations earlier this week, and are expected to be met again by early next week.

This is most likely across England and Wales, but also fairly likely for eastern Scotland too.

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Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wardle said: “Maximum temperatures have been well above average almost everywhere in the UK this week, the exception perhaps being the Western and Northern Isles of Scotland.

“Following a return to nearer average, locally rather cool temperatures over the next few days, the hot weather looks likely to steadily ramp up once again this weekend, peaking early next week.

“From Sunday, but more likely Monday and Tuesday, peak maximum temperatures are likely be in excess of 35C, especially across central, southern and eastern England, with a chance of some locations being even hotter.

“Elsewhere, maxima will generally range from high 20s to low 30s of Celsius.

“This, coupled with overnight minima not falling below 20C in many locations, has considerable potential to cause widespread societal impacts, which is behind the issue of an Amber Extreme heat warning.”

Maria Caulfield, the health minister, told the House of Commons on Wednesday that the Government had arranged extra ambulance capacity to help emergency services deal with higher demand.

She said the £30million contract would “support the ambulance response during periods of increased pressure”.

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