The school buildings struggle to stay cool during spells of hot, sunny weather. Some parts of the building are hotter than others. There are no easy solutions.

Mrs Haines, Deputy Head teacher, published the government's advice to schools and the steps that we are taking to keep the building as cool as possible earlier in the week. We are following the measures suggested by the government.

The hottest classrooms, years 4, 5 & 6 on the first floor and south facing year 3 classrooms have high-quality fans to circulate the air. Teachers say these fans have little impact. 

Some parents have suggested that the PTFA purchase more fans, or portable air conditioning units. Whist these ideas might work in a domestic, home environment, they have little impact in school. The volume of classrooms and number of people (pupils) in them is too large. There is also a trade-off between cooling and noise. Nevertheless, we are open-minded. Jateen Patel (Facilities Manager) has researched other fans and we are trying a different type of fan in all 4 reception classrooms. If these offer some respite for pupils and staff, we could roll this out to other rooms. 

2-3 years ago, after successive hot summer periods, we explored the feasibility of air conditioning for classrooms. We consulted school property experts in the Council. There were multiple barriers before we even got to considering cost. Then we experienced 2 cooler, wetter summer periods. Whilst acknowledging climate change, the impact on our summers is less clear. To my knowledge, there is no clear government or local strategic plan or funding for school buildings. This makes governors' strategic planning harder.

Other parents have suggested other measures, such as awnings, planting for shade, improving air flow through the building, and/or cooling heat pumps. Some have provided helpful links. Governors will consider this issue and next steps at their next Resources Committee meeting. Any solution will depend on feasibility and cost. Sadly, there's no quick fix.