Partial School Closure Due to Extreme Heat - 24th & 25th June

We are writing to keep you informed about the current situation in school due to the exceptionally hot weather.

Over the past two days, we have implemented a range of measures to help manage the heat. These include increased ventilation, regular access to water, adjusted activities, and the use of shaded areas wherever possible. Despite these steps, indoor temperatures in classrooms have remained consistently very high, exceeding 30°C as early as 9:30am.

Many of our pupils are finding these conditions challenging. In addition, we anticipate reduced staffing, as some staff members need to care for their own children at other schools.

The forecast for Wednesday and Thursday is significantly more severe, with the Met Office predicting outside temperatures of 36–37°C, around five to six degrees higher than today. These figures do not account for additional heat within classrooms caused by direct sunlight, limited ventilation, and the number of occupants.

Having carefully reviewed the situation, we do not believe we can maintain a safe and manageable environment for pupils and staff. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, dizziness, fainting, and, in more serious cases, heatstroke.

For these reasons, we have made the difficult decision to close the Osborne main site on Wednesday 24 June and Thursday 25 June. We appreciate that this may cause inconvenience, but the safety and wellbeing of our pupils and staff must come first in these extreme conditions. At this time the Oskings site will remain open, as it is better equipped to manage the heat due to air conditioning.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will adapt our plans if the weather changes, keeping you informed.

Thank you for your understanding and support.