How a new era of heatwaves could shake up the school calendar

A summer of heat and closed classrooms

Scotland's schoolchildren returned to their classrooms in mid-August, their summer break having begun in late June or early July. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, pupils will not go back until early September — their holidays are a similar length, but they did not break up until late July, leaving them in school during the peak of the early summer heat.

That heat was punishing. With temperatures at 30C or above, and with many classrooms lacking air conditioning and adequate ventilation, more than 1,000 schools across the UK closed or sent pupils home early before the hottest part of the afternoon. Conditions were particularly difficult for GCSE and A-level students sitting exams during the heat, the BBC reported.

Baroness Brown, chair of the UK's Climate Change Adaptation Committee, warned that "we know high temperatures can significantly impair concentration and performance" of children in schools. In February 2026, Ofsted's chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver suggested the timing of the school holidays should be reconsidered: "It's pretty hot usually in May, June and July, just at the point you're asking children to sit down and take an exam… so I think there is a need to have a good old look at it [the school year]."

A shifting climate

BBC analysis of temperature data shows a clear shift. In the 1960s, the first 30C day occurred on average on 13 July; in the 2020s, it has moved to 19 June. This summer has been particularly intense: 38C was recorded in Lingwood, Norfolk on 26 June — the hottest June day ever measured in the UK — and the Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning at the end of June. The UK Health Security Agency issued multiple amber heat health warnings over the past few months, and the Met Office has predicted this summer is likely to become the hottest on record.

The consequences for learning are increasingly well documented. A 2024 study in the journal Climate Risk Management suggested that any temperature above 24C can compromise learning, with a decline in student performance of 2% to 12% for each degree increase in classroom temperature. The study's authors proposed a benchmark of 26C as the upper "comfortable limit" for classrooms; the average school in England reaches that threshold 59 days a year, increasing to 71 days with 2C of warming. In "at-risk" schools, the threshold would be breached on 75 days a year. A study by the Met Office and University College London projected that students could lose 8.2 days of learning a year on average if global temperatures rise more than 2C above pre-industrial levels — a figure echoed by the Climate Change Committee, which warned that pupils would lose 8.2 days of learning per year by 2050 if no action is taken. Research cited in the i Paper found that taking an exam on a 32C day leads to around a 10% lower likelihood of passing compared with a 22C day.

What the Government is (and isn't) doing

In a report published in May, the Climate Change Committee — the Government's climate advisers — recommended that air conditioning be installed in all schools and that a maximum indoor temperature be introduced. The i Paper reported that the Government is considering these recommendations as part of its fourth "national adaptation programme", which is due in 2028 — suggesting a national heatwave strategy for schools is two years away.

That timeline has frustrated education leaders. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said a strategic plan to deal with heatwaves is needed as they become more frequent due to climate change, but "there is little sign of urgent action". He added: "We're aware of comments from the Government that they will consider proposals from the Climate Change Committee around maximum temperatures, and also keep school timetables under review, but they really need to go further and faster. There is currently a maximum temperature for transporting cattle but not one for children and staff in schools, and we do not think it should take much consideration to determine that this should change."

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the Government needs to "do more to improve and modernise buildings", including a "focus on ventilation, solar panels, improved insulation, measures to ensure buildings are watertight and potentially air conditioning too".

According to Department for Education data obtained by Tes, more than a third of schools in England do not have air conditioning. The DfE said it is equipping schools to deal with heatwaves via its £710m renewal and retrofit programme through to 2029-30 and almost £20bn through 2034-35 to rebuild over 750 schools. However, no funding is available specifically for air conditioning, and schools must use their capital budgets — which are being cut by 1% per year from this year until 2029-30 to pay for increased defence spending, the i Paper reported.

A Government spokesperson said: "Climate change is a universal issue and we are taking action to understand the potential impact on all areas of life, including education so we can prevent disruption to learning." The Government's latest guidance for schools recommends opening windows early, closing blinds, and using fans if temperatures are below 35C.

The exam calendar and the school year

The issue extends beyond classroom cooling to the structure of the academic year itself. Baroness Brown is among those calling for GCSE and A-level exams to be moved earlier in the year, so that students do not sit them during the hottest months. Sir Martyn Oliver's comments in February echoed that view, noting that exams coincide with the period when temperatures are often highest.

Changes to school holidays would require national-level discussion, since term dates are currently set by local authorities or individual schools. There is no legal minimum or maximum temperature for classrooms; the National Education Union says classrooms should be above 18C, but no upper limit exists.

Parents have voiced their own concerns. Andrea Bigger, a parent in London, is "absolutely aware of the dangers" of extreme heat in classrooms; she says her daughter has previously suffered from heat exhaustion and was hospitalised after overheating at her primary school. She is "really concerned that the UK is not ready or prepared for this". Other parents, like Rebecca Martin, worry about children taking GCSEs and want investment in air conditioning or changes to the school year. Gemma Beake, a parent in Bristol, says cooler schools would be safer than homes. Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis Academy, described heatwaves as a "real inhibitor" to teaching and called for a national plan.

Lessons from abroad and a changing holiday market

France and Spain already have extreme heat guidelines that trigger timetable changes or school closures, offering models the UK could follow.

The hot weather is also reshaping British holiday habits. An InsureandGo survey found that more than seven in 10 UK holidaymakers thought some European countries like Spain, Greece, or Turkey would be too hot to visit by the end of the decade. Mintel research found that more than half of UK holidaymakers say they are likely to choose a staycation rather than going abroad for climate-related reasons, with 28% saying higher UK temperatures encourage domestic holidays. Travel journalist Simon Calder said that a significant shift in holiday habits could push up the cost of domestic holidays.

As the climate continues to warm, the question of how to keep schools habitable — and when to hold the school year — is likely to become more pressing. The Government's response, expected as part of its 2028 adaptation programme, will determine whether the coming summers are met with a plan or with more closed classrooms.