What law says about pulling your child out of school during heatwave

Schools across the UK are closing amid rare red warnings over extreme temperatures that are expected to hit record highs for June.

The Met Office has warned of a 'heat dome' settling over western Europe, which could bring temperatures of up to 40°C in some parts of England and Wales in the middle part of the week.

Temperatures for the latest heatwave are likely to overtake the June record set in Hampshire in 1976 by several degrees and could come close to the UK’s all-time high of 40.3°C, which was measured in July 2022.

Due to this, a red weather warning for extreme heat covering an area stretching from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham was issued by the Met Office from 9 am on Wednesday to 9 pm on Thursday.

Several schools across England and Wales have announced they would close or finish early during the heatwave (Getty Stock Images)

Several schools across England and Wales announced they would close or finish early on several days this week to protect pupils amid the extreme heat.

If your school is open, however, the advice is to send your child in as normal.

The Department for Education said on its website on Monday (22 June) that 'during hot weather, we don’t normally advise schools to close'.

It added: "This is because school attendance is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential, and hot weather can usually be managed safely.

"School leaders should make sure they take any steps necessary to make sure children are safe and comfortable, and the heat-health alerts can guide this."

A Department for Education spokesperson added: "There is clear government guidance available online to help school staff look after children in the hot weather, including the use of ventilation, keeping children hydrated, and avoiding vigorous physical activity for pupils."

A 'heat dome' could bring temperatures of up to 40°C in some parts of England and Wales this week (Getty Stock Images)

Meanwhile, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said it has written to all its members with guidance on dealing with the soaring temperatures this week, including the impact on pupils and staff, legal positions and when to consider closing early or for the day.

Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: "While there is no legal 'upper limit' for temperature in schools, (school leaders) will certainly be doing all they can to mitigate the effects of such high temperatures."

And the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recommends that children shouldn't take part in vigorous physical activity on very hot days.

For more information, parents can visit the UK government's Education Hub.