Stokesley School classroom temperature reaches over 28°C

In a study, conducted by the climate group Round Our Way, children were struggling to stay awake and tempers flared at Stokesley School after temperatures inside classrooms topped 'worrying levels'.

Round Our Way worked with teachers in seven schools across England, including Stokesley, to place temperature sensors to record the temperature every hour over four weeks, between June 10 and July 4.

The analysis of the data collected by the sensors showed that temperatures peaked at 28°C and average 22°C; several degrees warmer than the temperature outside at the time of the study.

The outside of Stokesley School (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

While there is no legal maximum temperature for schools, offices or other workplaces the National Education Union (NEU) advises a maximum indoor working temperature of 26°C for schools.

Paul Outhwaite, an English teacher at Stokesley School, has highlighted that the heat is “very tiring" and "tempers become more frayed and lessons are interrupted by the need to refill water bottles”. 

He said it was difficult to concentrate and “difficult to stay awake”, with the overall impact “very disruptive. The kids wilt, they put their heads on the desks, they become less patient”. 

On June 24, Round Our Way’s heat sensor registered 27.7 degrees around the time Stokesley School’s students were leaving for the day.

A video of pupils Sophie and Lois talking about heat at Stokesley School:

Mr Outhwaite, a teacher for around 30 years, said he felt extremely sleepy that day. “It’s been too hot today. The kids cannot work.” 

He said youngsters have never been sent home early because of hot weather and nor has the school been closed, “but they have been allowed to wear PE kit”.

According to the Department for Health and Social Care, children cannot control their body temperature as efficiently as adults during hot weather because they do not sweat as much and so can be at risk of ill health from heat, which can range from mild heat stress to heatstroke.

Mr Outhwaite believes that the issue is going to become worse over the coming years, as climate change takes hold and the lack of air conditioning and other cooling methods remains.

He added: "While the peak of the heat was recorded at 27 degrees, I'm sure it was near 30 degrees at times.

The Stokesley School sign (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

"Pupils feel faint and they just shut down whenever the heat arrives. 

"I don't know the solution, though. Air conditioning for every school would be unbelievably expensive with already such tight budgets."

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a yellow heat-health alert for eight regions in England from 24 June until 27 June and the Round Our Way analysis shows that during this period of intense heat, classrooms became unbearably warm with temperatures hitting well above the advised maximum temperature for school settings.

Roger Harding, director of Round Our Way, a not-for-profit supporting people impacted by climate change in the UK, said: “This data reveals the worryingly hot temperatures our children are starting to face in the classroom thanks to climate change.

"Hard-pressed teachers have told us about children this summer who have fainted or even vomitted due to the high heat, and there are many more who simply struggle to concentrate.

"This has been a mild summer by recent standards, so It is scary to picture how bad this will get when temperatures well above 30°C return.

“Schools, like many of our buildings, aren’t set up and funded to deal with the higher temperatures we are seeing thanks to climate change.

"The weather used to just be small talk but we now need our political leaders to ensure the country is better prepared for more extreme weather and tackle the fossil fuel pollution that is causing it in the first place.”