School closure due to heat

Cherrytree59

My sister is sweltering in France 40°
The schools in her region are all closed but.......
the freezers and cooler fridges are all working fine, in our local Tesco they are all empty due to extreme heat 🥵

Priorities! Food first!

Though here is Sarzeau FR, the fridges in Lidl broke down two days ago, and my French friend had to leave their trolley in the shop! Quelle horreur!

Maybe you're hearing voices that aren't actually in the post JoanofArc !
I read it asBellasnana chatting and giving her opinion, maybe just in her area, and not across the whole land.
Like I often say^here in France^, meaning MY immediate region.

Dickens

Joanofarc99

Bellasnana

Why is it always the UK that makes such a huge fuss about extremes of temperature? The weather never seems to be right for some people, they moan about the cold, the rain, the snow, the sun whereas in other countries we just get on with it.

It is 37°C here today with 80% humidity but the schools are open and it will be the same in countless other hot countries the world over, and, no, they won’t all have a/c or shorter hours.

Common sense seems to have gone out the window. I usually sit on my hands and say nothing but I’m fed up of hearing about it.

That's a bit harsh and based on false facts

That's a bit harsh and based on false facts

Well, there weren't many facts to check, false or otherwise!

I believe it was more of an 'opinion-piece' and clearly one of low esteem.

Exactly my point.

Even the comment that it was 37° might not necessarily be a fact across the whole land.
It's how people chat, they don't need to be burned at the stake on a CHAT thread!

Peace reigned at 6 am here today.
Enjoy your day, folks! And chill!

Just to clarify, in no way did I intend my post to be ‘nasty’ or ‘contemptuous’, unfortunately when things are written down they are sometimes read in a way which was not intended.

I don’t think I said anything wrong. The fact is SOME people are never happy whatever the weather and, since we can’t change it, we must learn to adapt.

As for facts, I don’t believe I said anything was fact but I can speak from experience. My four children went through the Maltese school system from 1986-2006 and were lucky if they had a fan in the classroom let alone a/c which did not start to be introduced until the 90’s.

Contrary to some of your claims, schools here are not all built to keep out the sun. They have big windows with blinds which are not that effective.

I thought rushing to Google to try, gleefully, to prove me wrong was a massive overreaction. Of course we parents tried to campaign for more bearable conditions for our children, but my point was that school never closed due to the heat which can be relentless here for months on end.

In the 80’s we suffered two or three power cuts per week as well as water cuts, it wasn’t fun but there was no media frenzy whipping up controversy, we just got on with it as people have done since time began.

I am sorry some people chose not to see my post the way it was intended, just chat and my own opinion.

I have never in 13 years on GN been castigated so roundly and it smacks of being hauled up for a telling off from the head teacher.

I’m 70 next week and too old for this so I am stepping back from posting as I don’t wish to be misunderstood again. It has really upset me, I know there are some who enjoy a confrontation but I don’t so could we kindly draw a line under this now please.🙏🏻

I am sorry Bellasnana as I enjoy reading your posts from Malta where my Dad was based in WW2.

I enjoy reading posts from other places as I am not well travelled even in the UK. I sorely miss Madeleine's descriptions of Yorkshire.

And this is a forum called Chat. I stay off the News forum as that is the wild west and I honestly CBA to read the threads. I have the BBC so I do keep up. Don't need to read any hot headed stuff. There must be smoke coming off some keyboard warriors' keyboards.

I hope you come back soon to the Good Morning thread BN.
Just take a break, but your posts will be missed.

Just found this lovely little piece about a school in Guernsey:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cn4rjpre42mo

NotSpaghetti

Just found this lovely little piece about a school in Guernsey:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cn4rjpre42mo

... love it! The children with their feet in buckets of water

I know!
And they are really loving it.

I expect those children will remember this all their lives.
🥰

www.facebook.com/share/r/17d4zP31eS/

Another one, it's a genuine link.

MartavTaurus

www.facebook.com/share/r/17d4zP31eS/

Another one, it's a genuine link.

That's lovely - the shrieks of those young girls jumping up and down, waiting to be doused!
Teachers are being so innovative during this heatwave .

Thats so lovely to see. Every school needs a hose, fine spray and a fun teacher.

Hope there is enough in school coffers to put up "sail" type awnings for playgrounds and to shade south facing windows. I think innovation is the word of the moment.

Take care Bellasnana please do not let the harsh comments of an anonymous poster upset you.

The trouble is that the written word comes across so much more strongly than a fleeting spoken comment. You were very daring posting a comment Bellasnana. (For example I hate dogs and though in my daily life I just mutter and scowl about them I have often wondered what vitriol would hit me if I ever dared to start a thread about it. 😃) I've withdrawn from Gransnet several times because of nasty comments but have finally settled down on the Good Morning thread, which is a gentle place to be. Could you not come back to it Bellasnana? I love your posts from Malta. Whoever knew there were firework factories on the island? I didn't until I read one of your posts.

My niece lives in Malta. In June the schools transition to summer timetable ie 8.30 to 12.30 they then close at the end of June for 13 weeks until the end of September.

* Marzipan* I agree, I stay with soop's kitchen because I don't get my head bitten off there.

I like dogs, you don't, what is the problem? We aren't fighting over it and we are each entitled to our own opinions.

You would think that newer, more modern schools would have air con, tinted windows, or heat repellent window treatment.
Or older schools have the school windows tinted.

Bellasnana, sending you a hug and support, do please return to the good morning chat, I don’t post on it as my morning in Canada is afternoon in the UK but I really enjoy hearing about your goings on in Malta and especially your little twin grandsons.🌼

MT62

You would think that newer, more modern schools would have air con, tinted windows, or heat repellent window treatment.
Or older schools have the school windows tinted.

I think new schools will be built with air con, possibly also with awnings to stop the sun hitting the windows.

Blinds have their uses, but when they shut out the light, the need for lighting doesn't just add to the cost of running the school, but also is another source of heat in an already hot classroom. Try teaching/learning in a computer suite with 34 computers and the blinds closed to keep out the sun!
That was our first air-conditioned classroom even when summers weren’t as hot.

That doesn’t solve the immediate problem however. Schools, including mine don't have sufficient funds to put air con in every classroom.

We are working towards that, but with current budget limits it will probably be 2028 before all rooms are equipped.
I suppose we could get rid of a few TAs, or replace more costly staff with newer teachers, not ECTs as employing them needs extra cover staff.

Maybe . . . Just maybe, Andy will come up with the air con funding, not just for schools, but also for hospitals!

Maybe, since schools in other countries manage by closing school earlier in the day and having longer summer breaks, that’s what we should do.
At least that way the complaints would have a different focus.

Vintagewhine

My niece lives in Malta. In June the schools transition to summer timetable ie 8.30 to 12.30 they then close at the end of June for 13 weeks until the end of September.

The last two weeks of June have half days but schools offer a summer school programme from 8am -2pm so not all children are at home for 13 weeks. Parents still have to work.

MT62

You would think that newer, more modern schools would have air con, tinted windows, or heat repellent window treatment.
Or older schools have the school windows tinted.

Many school budgets just don't have enough money for these suggestions to be implemented or to pay the ensuing utility bills. Money spent on such improvements would mean less being available for staffing and other essentials.

It's interesting to read how countries which are used to hotter summers organise schooling accordingly. I expect it will be some years before our fixed routine in the UK for school hours changes, if ever.

It's a shame that Bellasnana was subjected to such forceful responses to her original comment. Let's be honest - it IS a British characteristic to moan about the weather, be it too wet, hot, dry, cold, snowy, etc. It's generally our preferred opening for conversations with strangers!

According to AI all state primary and most secondary schools switch to a half day for the whole of June.

It's a shame that Bellasnana was subjected to such forceful responses to her original comment. Let's be honest - it IS a British characteristic to moan about the weather, be it too wet, hot, dry, cold, snowy, etc. It's generally our preferred opening for conversations with strangers.

Well put Ashcombe
Although moans are sometimes part of other discussions e.g. getting thermal vests out again at the beginning of June.
A comment or moan about the changing climate and its impact on our weather is always a good ice-breaker even in midsummer.

Vintagewhine

According to AI all state primary and most secondary schools switch to a half day for the whole of June.

Just shows AI has its flaws in its infancy.

I seem to remember my Victorian built primary school had high ceilings and the windows although big were high up so you couldn’t see out - presumably to stop distractions. I don’t remember it being that hot inside although I can remember our 1/3rd pint of milk in special small bottles did go off in the summer if it wasn’t drunk on arrival. In the winter there was a big boiler in the basement that kept the radiators warm.