Parents have been left warm under the collar after schools announced today that they would close earlier due to the warm weather.
Directors pressed the panic button this lunchtime after the With Office warned that a new UK record temperature could be reached early next week.
Bewildered moms and dads at some schools were told to pick up their kids at 1 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, or the days would be full at home.
Others encouraged the students to wear a T-shirt and shorts instead of normal uniform clothing.
Directors pressed the panic button this lunchtime after the Met Office warned that a new UK record temperature could be reached early next week
The Hereford Academy announced an earlier start and end to the school day, while parents at Marlbrook, Little Dewchurch and St Martin’s primary schools were told that gym classes will be canceled and that students are not allowed to play outside.
A letter states: ‘We also give parents the opportunity to keep the children at home on Monday.’
Meanwhile, Crestwood Community School in Eastleigh, Hampshire, is one of the schools canceling Sports Day, saying ‘we don’t think it’s safe for students to be out in the heat all day and participate in exercise’.
In east London, the head of the Clapton Girls’ Academy warned of an early end amid fears the school facilities could not handle the heat.
Anna Feltham told the parents: ‘In many classrooms it is already very hot, even with fans, and students struggle to keep cool, drink enough water and maintain concentration during classes.
‘Because of next week’s heat wave, many classrooms will become unbearably hot by lesson two and five. We’ve looked at some options, but we don’t have enough ‘cool’ rooms to move classes into.’
And Red Hall Primary School in Darlington has banned children from playing outside in the scorching heat unless they wear hats, as it was a ‘real concern’ that many pupils went to school without hats this week.
Health chiefs fear the NHS will be overwhelmed with some heat-related casualties if the mercury does indeed rise to levels normally only seen in California’s Death Valley, the world’s hottest place.
It came as the Met Office warned people’s lives could be at risk, as it indicated it is likely that a new record temperature could be set in the UK early next week.
Meteorologists gave an 80% chance that the mercury will surpass the UK’s record temperature of 38.7C (101.7F) in Cambridge in 2019, with the current heat wave reaching its peak on Tuesday.
There is a 50% chance that temperatures will reach 40C somewhere in the UK, likely along the A1 corridor, with the Met Office issuing its first-ever red warning of extreme heat.
The UK Health Security Agency has raised its heat warning from level three to level four – a ‘national emergency’.
TUESDAY: The Met Office expects temperatures to reach 40C (104F) in London next Tuesday, which would be unprecedented
Level four is reached ‘when a heat wave is so severe and/or prolonged that its effects extend beyond the health and social care system… At this level, illness and death can occur in the fit and healthy, not just high risk groups,’ ‘ it said.
The Met Office’s red alert, for Monday and Tuesday, covers an area from London to Manchester and as far as the Vale of York.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: ‘If people have vulnerable relatives or neighbours, now is the time to ensure they take appropriate measures to cope with the heat because if the forecast is as we think it will be in the red warning area, human life is at risk.
“This is a very serious situation.”
He said there is an 80% chance that the UK’s all-time temperature record will be broken, and a 50% chance that temperatures of 40°C will be reached somewhere in the UK.
“Most likely that would be within the red extreme heat warning area,” Mr Madge said.
“Probably the most likely areas to look at are north of London and up to Lincolnshire, inland.
“Somewhere like Peterborough, Grantham, Sandy, Stevenage, those kinds of areas, A1 corridor.”
He said temperatures of up to 40C would be a “historic event.”
“If we hit 40C, that’s a very iconic threshold and shows that climate change is now with us,” he said.
‘Climate change makes this much more likely.’
NEXT WEEK: The Met Office has released this forecast map in addition to the extreme heat warning coming Monday and Tuesday
Downing Street said Cobra met on Thursday during the heat wave and talks with sectors, including the NHS, “will continue to work closely with all those sectors today, over the weekend and early next week.”
Meanwhile, motorists have been advised to try to make their journeys outside of the hottest times of the day, especially if they have older cars.
Sean Sidley, AA Patrol of the Year, said: “There are reports of gritting trucks this weekend to reduce the chance of melting our roads.
“When it gets sticky on the roads, there’s nothing worse than being stuck in a traffic jam as the mercury rises, so make sure you have plenty of water with you — at least a gallon per person — and plenty of fuel, or if you have a electric vehicle (EV) – make sure you have enough charge so that you can use the air conditioning when needed.’
Tim Doran of the RNLI Water Safety Team said the agency was anticipating a “busy weekend” for its lifeboat crews and lifeguards.
“If you plan on going to the beach, we recommend that you visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags,” he said.
North Wales police said a paddle boarder has died after getting into trouble in the water off Conwy Morfa beach on Thursday night.
Officers were called in at 10:14 p.m. and attended alongside the Coast Guard, RNLI and ambulance service, taking two victims to the hospital in Bangor, where one of them died.
Police said the local coroner has been informed and specialist officers will support the deceased’s family.