Can you keep your kids off school or refuse to work during a heatwave?

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, There is no law in the UK that says a given temperature is too hot or too cold to work. By Vanessa Clarke , Senior education reporter  and  Nick Edser , Business reporter Published 23 June 2026, 00:08 BST Updated 5 minutes ago The Met Office has issued a rare red warning for extreme heat covering parts of England and Wales later this week. Temperatures will increase significantly in the next few days and could hit 40C in places by Wednesday and Thursday. The warning comes into place at 09:00 on Wednesday and will last until 21:00 on Thursday for central, southern and south-east England, and parts of south Wales. Will schools close if it gets too hot? Several schools in the area impacted by the red weather warning have already said they will be closing early, with some closing entirely, during the worst of the weather this week. There is no legal maximum temperature for classrooms - and the government does not normally advise schools to close. Instead, it says schools can usually be managed safely and that keeping children in school is important. Teaching unions have recommended that schools should aim to keep indoor temperatures at a maximum of 26C. School leaders will keep a close eye on temperatures and will refer to their risk assessments. They will also watch for pupils becoming tired more quickly, especially those who are vulnerable. If a head teacher does decide to close a school, they will need to talk to the chair of governors and their academy trust or employer first. What can schools do to help combat the heat? Some parents may already have had a message from their schools saying uniform rules are being relaxed and children can instead wear PE kits. Schools can also look at changing start and finish times to avoid the worst of the heat. Lessons may be moved to cooler areas of the school and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recommends children should not take part in vigorous physical activity when it is very hot, so PE lessons maybe be a bit more sedentary than normal. CO2 monitors can also be used to keep a check on ventilation. Image source, Getty Images/SolStock Advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says schools may have to close windows later in the day if it becomes hotter outside than inside, and fans shouldn't be used if temperatures go above 35C. Teaching unions say schools will always be as creative as possible in taking all possible measures to keep children and staff comfortable, but this will be more difficult in some schools. They called on the government to invest in making all school buildings more resilient to extreme weather. How to keep your home cool in hot weather Published 22 hours ago What are the heat exhaustion and heatstroke symptoms? Published 22 hours ago How to sleep in the heat Published 22 hours ago UK set for hottest June day after overnight storms, as Europe hit by dozens of heat deaths How can I help my child keep cool at school