Researchers to measure the impact of hot weather on UK classrooms

Posted on 24 July 2024

A research project at the University of York is measuring the impact of hot weather on UK classrooms and what can be done to limit the consequences.

University of York researchers are studying what can be done to limit the impact of hot weather on UK classrooms

The study comes at a time when climate change is profoundly affecting life in the UK, leading to more frequent and extreme heat waves.

The UK experienced five heatwave periods during the summer of 2022, with record-breaking temperatures of over 40°C in England. Climate scientists believe this was not an anomaly, but part of a warming trend: extreme heat events are going to become more likely as the climate continues to change. For example, according to the Met Office’s UK Climate Project, the country will see summers between 1°C and 6°C warmer.

Extreme temperatures

Researchers believe that many school buildings in the UK are not constructed in a way to withstand extreme temperatures, with the use of insulating materials and glass and concrete in newer schools contributing to ‘heat island’ effects that can make schools dangerously hot.

Alongside the architectural challenges, researchers know that children are particularly vulnerable to high temperatures. When it is very hot, the human body produces sweat to cool itself down. However, children do not sweat as much as adults and are therefore much less able to regulate their body temperature - increasing health risks and posing significant challenges for teachers and school staff.

Proactive thinking

Academics have found that temperatures above 24°C can compromise reaction time, processing speed and accuracy through changes in heart rate and respiratory rates.

Paul Hudson, Lecturer in Environmental Economics in the University’s Department of Environment and Geography, said: “We are seeing more and more record-breaking heat waves, and extreme weather overall, in the UK. We will have to start proactively thinking about how we need to change how we live and work for the climate we will have rather than the climate we had.”

Mitigating challenges

Two-years-ago, in July 2022, the UK experienced an extreme record-breaking heatwave that saw temperatures exceed 40°C for the first time on record. During this period, the UK put out its first red heat alert. This meant many schools finished early or closed their doors entirely for the safety of their staff and students.

But it is not just these extremes that concern academics. They are also investigating how other high temperatures in schools can be harmful and want to understand how schools can mitigate these challenges.

Risk factors

Dr Hudson explained: “Even when temperatures do not reach headline-grabbing highs, unexpected increases in temperature can harm the way pupils learn, how they behave, and their health depending on what they are doing. It is not just the effect on pupils, when teachers work in classrooms that are too hot they can become fatigued or lose concentration, potentially putting themselves and the children in their care at risk.”

UK guidance suggests a minimum working temperature of 16ºC, if employees are not carrying out physical work. However, there are no legal maximum working temperatures for schools in the UK.

Building understanding

Dr Lynda Dunlop, from the Department of Education at the University of York, is also working on the research project. She said: “Children spend a lot of their lives in schools, so it is crucial we provide them with comfortable, healthy environments to thrive and achieve their best. I am hopeful this research will help us to understand exactly how schools in the UK see and understand the threat that increasing temperature extremes have in educational settings and what they and policy makers can do to limit the impacts on pupils. Both in terms of changing school buildings and infrastructure, or behavioural changes at the individual or classroom level.”

Researchers will involve teachers, parents and pupils to contribute to the study, which will measure exactly how hotter temperatures are impacting schools and what can be done about it.

Understanding adaptation

For this first stage of the project, York researchers want to connect with schools across the UK. This will help them to understand the differences in how the threat is understood around the country as well as taking a stock take of what heat adaptation measures schools have done, will do, or even if they have planned for future heat waves.

Dr Hudson added: “There are a huge combination of factors at play here. The type of buildings, vegetation near schools, the geographical location. We hope the holistic approach to our research will help the whole of the school system to assess and address this real world problem. It’s a chance for schools to develop their knowledge and become more resilient as the climate changes around us.

Holistic approaches

“In the first stage of this project, we want to reach out to as many school staff as possible to help us put together the current picture of the threat that increasing, and worsening, heat waves have on schools across the UK from their perspective. We hope to use these insights to understand how we need to change in line with a changing climate.”