UK Schools Face Repeated Closures and Health Crises as Extreme Heat Persists

Extreme heat in the UK has forced more than 1,000 schools to close and led to reports of heatstroke, nausea, and fainting among pupils and staff.

• More than 1,000 schools in England and Wales closed or partly closed during the June heatwave, according to PA Media figures.
• Department for Education statistics show one in five school sessions in England were missed, the highest absence rate of the 2025–26 academic year.
• A Round Our Way survey of 1,000 UK parents found more than half had a child miss at least one day of school during the June heatwave.
• Jenny Cooper, a teacher and National Education Union safety representative, said colleagues fainted and classroom temperatures exceeded safe levels by over 10 degrees.