July 15, 2022 3.43 pm This story is over 26 months old

Lincoln school to close amid heatwave for pupils’ safety

Temperatures are expected to hit a record 40C on Monday
St Christophers School, Hykeham Road, is to temporarily close next week | Photo: Google

A Lincoln school has announced it will close during next week’s extreme heatwave for the safety of pupils.

St Christophers’s special school told parents it would be impossible to keep the building cool enough for pupils on Monday and Tuesday, when temperatures are expected to hit 40C.

Advice has been issued to all Lincoln schools as the first ever red alert for heat has been declared.

Headteacher Kyna Adkins wrote to parents about the sudden closure today.

“Due to the government issuing a red weather warning for Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July, I have made the difficult decision to close schools to all pupils on both those days,” the message says.

“Earlier this week, when the temperature was at its highest, we made every effort to keep the building as cool as possible. However, the temperature is due to increase again Monday and Tuesday and I am not able to keep the building cool enough to safely have children in school.

For the first time ever, the Met Office has issued a red weather warning for heat, meaning there is a clear danger to lives. | Photo: Met Office

“We have very limited outside shade and the internal building is difficult to temperature regulate.”

She added that the “physical and emotional safety of the children is paramount.”

The Hykeham Road school hopes to reopen as normal on Wednesday.

Activities would be provided for children to do at home on Monday and Tuesday if they wished.

Lincolnshire County Council have reminded all schools about the national guidance to look after children in the heat.

It warns that children are at greater risk of heat-related illness, which can range from mild heat stress to potentially life-threatening heatstroke.

The Met Office has declared a red alert national emergency for the first two days of next week.

This means that the heatwave is so severe that “illness and death may occur among the fit and healthy, and not just in high-risk groups”.

It is likely that the UK will see its highest ever temperature recorded on Monday, with peaks of 40C.