Parents fund air conditioners as UK schools shorten hours in heatwave

Schools in parts of England are shortening days, moving lessons and changing routines as a late-June heatwave pushes classroom temperatures to uncomfortable levels, with some parents now paying for portable air-conditioning units to help schools cope.

The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that parents in England are buying portable air-conditioning units for some schools because sweltering classrooms are making normal teaching difficult. In some cases, teachers and parents have also asked for donated units, underscoring how quickly schools are improvising around the heat.

The pressure on schools comes as the Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for heat across parts of southern England and Wales. Forecasts have pointed to temperatures reaching at least 39C, with the possibility of approaching or exceeding previous June records.

Schools in London and southern England have already begun changing the school day. Some are shortening hours, closing early, cancelling outdoor activities or relaxing uniform rules, while others are moving classes to cooler spaces and making sure pupils have extra water.

Early finishes and classroom changes

A Guardian report on Monday said Kingdown School in Warminster would finish lessons at 12:25pm from Monday to Thursday because of the heat. Other schools have been adapting in different ways, including limiting PE and using cooler rooms where possible.

The FT said some of the requests for cooling have come from vulnerable settings, including portakabins used in special education. That points to a broader problem: not every school building is designed to cope with prolonged periods of extreme heat, and some are relying on temporary fixes rather than permanent upgrades.

The Department for Education has said, in reporting cited this week, that it does not normally advise schools to close in hot weather. Its position is that schools can usually manage safely with measures such as sunscreen, relaxing uniform rules, adapting PE lessons and improving ventilation.

School leaders are also being careful not to set a simple temperature trigger for closures. The National Association of Head Teachers has said there is no legal upper temperature limit for schools, but that leaders are doing what they can to reduce risk and keep pupils safe.

What happens next

The immediate question is how long the heatwave lasts and whether more schools publish shortened-day notices, temporary closures or timetable changes as temperatures remain elevated. Local authorities, trusts and school leaders are under pressure to keep learning going without putting pupils or staff at risk.

The wider issue is whether this week becomes a one-off emergency response or a sign that English schools need more permanent investment in ventilation, shading and cooling as hotter summers become more common. For now, parents in some schools are filling the gap with donations and purchases that would once have been unthinkable in a British classroom.