Hundreds of schools in England and Wales are being forced to send children home this week as the UK continues to grapple with extreme temperatures.
A rare red warning for heat came into force on Wednesday, and soaring temperatures shattered the record for the hottest June day on Wednesday and Thursday consecutively.
The mercury climbed to 36.7C in Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday, with forecasters warning temperatures will remain extreme on Friday.
Teachers have expressed concern for their students’ safety during the heatwave, with many schools remaining closed amid forecasts of further extreme heat.
Parts of the London, the South East of England, and the East of England, are under the red warning until 9pm on Friday.
A number of schools and nurseries across England and Wales are expected to remain closed or partially closed on Friday.
For the latest updates on the UK heatwave, follow The Independent’s live coverage
While there is no maximum temperature limit for classrooms, schools can decide if they want to close early. Schools in Somerset, Buckinghamshire, Sussex, Gloucestershire, and others have announced full or partial closures on Friday.
Parents can use The Independent’s school closure tool to check on the status of schools in their area:
Children at some schools have also been told they can wear PE kit rather than full school uniform, which can involve long trousers and blazers.
The Met Office has warned that that the exceptional heat could break records set earlier this week once again on Friday.
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It added that some places may begin to feel slightly cooler due to a brisk breeze in the south.
Forecasters say that the weather event has been driven by a “heat-dome” settling over western Europe, as countries across the continent also experience extreme conditions.
Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office chief scientist, said: “The heatwave this week is a significant weather event, with a Red Extreme Heat warning issued. Human induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense.
"To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply.”
