Private schools offer 41% more tree shade than state schools in England

Trees reduce latent heat by providing shade and can bring surface temperatures down by up to 12C-18C, compared with unshaded asphalt or concrete. Photograph: Jon Challicom/Getty

Private school grounds in England offer 41% more tree cover than at state schools for cooling and shade in extreme temperatures, research has found.

As teachers and students prepare to take their summer holidays after weeks of high temperatures where some classrooms reached highs of 40C, an analysis of tree cover in schools in England reveals a stark socioeconomic divide.