Will schools in Bristol close due to UK heatwave? Latest on school closures after amber weather warning

The Met Office has issued a first-ever red weather warning for extreme heat across the country except in Bristol, where an amber alert is in place. Here is all the latest information.
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The hottest weather to ever hit the country as the Met Office has issued a first ever red weather warning for extreme heat, as well as an amber which covers Bristol and much of the South West..

People across the city have been amidst a heatwave that has brought high-tempered temperatures of mid-to-high 20C since it started on Thursday, 7 July.

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Recent forecasts from experts have resulted in stark warnings that temperatures could exceed 40C, with Sunday, 17 July expected to be the UK’s hottest ever day.

Bristolians, who have already been trying their best to cool down, will be worrying about the negative impacts this could have on various facets of society, such as schools.

Children are more easily susceptible to heatstroke than adults and as a result require more care and attention in these conditions, so will Bristol schools close to protect them during the heatwave? Here is everything you need to know.

What Met Office weather warning is in place in Bristol?

Unlike the rest of England, who are currently under a first ever red alert for hot weather, Bristol and the surrounding South West region remain under an amber alert for extreme heat.

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It will start on Sunday, 17 July at midnight whilst extending out to Tuesday, 19 July at 11:59 pm.

Will Bristol schools close due to the heatwave?

Despite the fact that schools in Scotland are already closed for the summer holidays, those in England and Wales remain open at least for one further week.

Despite this, there is no specific law that concerns school closures during a heatwave, so the question as to whether any in Bristol will shut its doors to beat the heat is still unclear.

It is understood that this decision will be made by either local authorities or specific schools.

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The Department for Education (DfE) issued the following statement: “We aren’t advising schools to close during high temperatures, but school leaders should make sure they take any steps necessary to make sure children are safe and comfortable.”

BristolWorld has reached out to Bristol City Council to ask if any plans are in place to close any schools in the city as a result of hot-tempered temperatures forecasted at the beginning of next week.

A spokesperson issued the following comment: “It is up to individual schools to decide whether to close or not.”

How hot does it have to be in a Bristol classroom before pupils can leave?

A specific temperature that a school or education centre has to reach for it to be deemed ‘unsafe’, therefore allowing pupils and teachers to leave is yet to be made official by law.

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This is not despite efforts to implement such a ruling, with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) releasing a briefing that highlighted the temperatures that it believes should be maintained in various workplaces.

It states that a maximum of 30C should be set, with the aim to keep them below 24C.

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