Are hot schools putting pupils and teachers at risk?

Are hot schools putting pupils and teachers at risk?3 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleLouise ParryBedfordshire, Hertfordshire and BuckinghamshireGetty ImagesTemperatures can become unbearable in some schools in hot weather, say parents and teachersSchool communities are raising concerns about the welfare of children and staff as a red warning for a heatwave is issued for parts of the UK.The BBC has heard reports of teachers and pupils passing out and exam halls reaching temperatures of 33C (91F) in recent years."My daughter Amelia has a condition meaning she can't regulate her body temperature – she was going unresponsive in the classroom last summer," says Bedfordshire mum Victoria Everitt.But even children without Amelia's condition can struggle when schools get hot.Michael Conley, head teacher of St Peter's Church of England Primary School in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, says: "We've had children become excessively warm, where they've become sick or ill, dysregulated or out of control. They do fall asleep."Ridgeway SchoolAmelia, eight, has dysautonomia which means she cannot regulate her body temperatureThe Department for Education (DfE) says while there is no maximum limit for temperature in UK workplaces, including schools, it is "carefully considering" proposals to change that by the Climate Change Committee (CCC).The CCC's latest report states: "High indoor temperatures can disrupt learning in schools by causing discomfort, reducing concentration, and increasing health risks for students and staff."The Trades Union Congress has campaigned for a legal maximum working temperature to be introduced, while the National Education Union says a maximum indoor working temperature of 26C (79F) is appropriate.So how does heat impact pupils' learning and welfare, and what can schools do to cool down?Lucio PoliTeacher Lucio Poli believes schools should consider opening and closing earl...