A recent study has determined that the severe heatwave which struck the UK in June resulted in the loss of more than 15 million hours of instructional time. The extreme temperatures compelled over 1,700 educational institutions to either close their doors entirely or dismiss students early.
According to the findings, at least 760,000 pupils across England and Wales were unable to attend classes. This period of disrupted education was part of a broader series of five heatwaves that battered the country throughout the summer.
The research highlights that indoor temperatures in some classrooms exceeded 40C, creating hazardous conditions. Both students and teaching staff reported suffering from symptoms associated with heat stress, including headaches and nausea, as soaring temperatures made it unsafe to continue normal school operations.
Are these figures from last year or this June? The impact on exam results will be significant either way.
I attended a school where we had to wear coats indoors in winter but couldn’t study in June. Common sense, people.
It’s not just about AC; we need better building regulations for schools in the first place.
15 million hours?! That’s a whole extra term of schooling lost to the weather. How are they catching up?
This is terrifying. No wonder teachers are quitting if their classrooms are hotter than ovens.