Latest news with #schooluniform
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
When is it too hot for a child to be at school?
The UK has recorded the hottest day of the year so far with temperatures predicted to hit 34C this weekend. It's common to feel lethargic and uncomfortable in hot weather, which makes focusing difficult for adults and children alike. Many schools, like some workplaces, don't have air conditioning and combined with restrictive school uniforms, it can make learning an uncomfortable experience. But is there a hard and fast rule on when it's too hot for schools to open – or a legal temperature? And what steps do schools have to take to keep children safe in the heat? Here's what you need to know. In short, no. There's no legal maximum temperature for schools to operate in the UK, meaning they don't have to close during a heatwave. The government's position is to keep schools open where possible. "During hot weather, we don't normally advise schools to close," the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says. "School attendance is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential, and hot weather can usually be managed safely." However, headteachers and school staff can take action to keep pupils as comfortable and safe as possible. This could mean relaxing certain rules or changing the schedule for the day. UKHSA guidance on how schools should manage hot weather and heatwaves, says they should consider relaxing their school uniform policy. This means encouraging children to remove blazers, jumpers and any unnecessary layers. They might also suggest pupils wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing to help keep them cooler. The guidance also advises children wear sun hats with wide brims for outdoor play. Sunscreen should be used regularly, and children should be encouraged to spend time in the shade if they're outdoors. As tempting as it is to let children run off their energy during playtime, vigorous physical activity should be avoided on very hot days, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). This includes PE lessons and outdoor sports. Instead, teachers are advised to adapt lessons for more sedentary indoor activities. These should take place in the coolest parts of the school building where possible. While most UK schools don't have air conditioning, there are still ways to keep classrooms cooler. Windows should be opened early in the morning or overnight (if safe to do so) to let stored heat escape before the day heats up. Once the outside air is warmer than the air inside, windows should be closed and blinds drawn to keep the sun out, but not at the expense of airflow. Cross-ventilation through doors and windows is encouraged when it can be done safely. Schools are also advised to limit the use of electrical equipment, as lights and devices left on standby give off extra heat. Fans can be used to move air around the room, but only if the temperature is below 35°C. Above that, fans may worsen dehydration. Children should be encouraged to drink more water than usual, with staff reminding pupils to take regular sips throughout the day. Children are more vulnerable to heat-related illness than adults, and teachers and staff should be watching for symptoms of heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. Early signs might include a change in behaviour, discomfort, tiredness, or irritability. Children in nappies may show signs of dehydration through fewer wet nappies or darker urine. More serious signs of heat exhaustion include: dizziness headache nausea or vomiting pale, clammy skin excessive sweating confusion or fatigue If a child is affected, they should be moved to a cool area, encouraged to drink water, and cooled down using damp cloths, fans, or cold packs placed around the neck and armpits. If symptoms don't improve or worsen, call NHS 111 for advice. Heatstroke is a medical emergency and requires urgent attention. Technically, parents must send their child to school unless they're ill or the school authorises the absence. Unfortunately, simply blaming the heat isn't usually enough. Any absence without proper authorisation counts as an unauthorised absence, which can trigger a penalty notice if your child misses too much school – currently fines are up to £80 per parent (which will increase to £160 if not paid within 21 days) if issued by the local authority. That said, schools can potentially exercise flexibility on hot days, like offering remote learning, moving classes to cooler spaces, or allowing early pick‑ups. The main thing is that parents communicate with the school. If heat is genuinely affecting your child, the best move is to contact the school directly and explain the situation. It's natural to feel concerned about your child's safety in school during hot weather. The government encourages teachers and childcare providers to sign up for Weather-Health Alerts from the UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office, which can help schools plan ahead. But day-to-day, it's up to schools to use their judgement. That might mean adjusting uniforms, tweaking lesson plans, or simply giving children more time indoors to cool down. If you're ever in doubt, reach out to your school and ask what measures they've put in place. Read more about education: Should schools relax school uniform rules during hot weather? (Birmingham Live, 2-min read) This Heatwave Hack For The School Pick Up Is Saving Parents A 'Fortune' (HuffPost, 2-min read) Sainsbury's launches flash school uniform sale, with prices from just £2.40 (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Desperate search for missing girl, 15, last seen in school uniform two days ago as cops urge any witnesses to call 999
A 15-YEAR-OLD girl last seen wearing her school uniform has gone missing. West Yorkshire Police have urged anyone who has seen Ingrid Lackova to call 999. The teen was last seen in Bradford on Momday. Ingrid is 5ft 3, with long brown hair, and cops released a photo to help locate her. She was last seen wearing her school uniform, a white shirt, black trousers, a blue and black striped tie and carrying a River Island bag. Police are concerned for the safety of the girl and asked that if anyone knows Ingrid's whereabouts, or has seen anyone matching her description, please call the police on 999 and quote 1976 16/0. 1
The Sun
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Aldi reveals when cheap school uniforms are coming back – and it's earlier than ever
Aldi's famous school uniform bundle is back and landing earlier than ever. Parents will be able to get their hands on the budget-busting Back to School range. 1 The bundle includes two polo shirts, a sweatshirt or cardigan, and a choice of trousers, skirt or cargo shorts – all for a fiver. That's right, a full school uniform for just £5. Aldi has confirmed the range will hit supermarket stores on Saturday June 29. The supermarket giant has frozen the price for the fourth year running, helping cash-strapped families stretch their budgets during the cost-of-living crunch. But you'll need to move fast – like all of Aldi's Specialbuys, once they're gone, they're gone. It's no wonder this deal flies off the shelves every year. With prices starting from just £1.50, and sizes available for kids aged 4 to 12, it's the perfect chance to get ahead of the summer scramble and sort schoolwear early. Whether you're prepping for reception or restocking for Year 6, this deal's a no-brainer. And Aldi isn't skimping on quality either – the uniforms come with a 12-month satisfaction guarantee, giving parents peace of mind that the kit will survive through the year. The eco-conscious will be pleased too as the range is made using recycled polyester and supports Cotton Made in Africa, so kids can stay smart without costing the Earth. Aldi shoppers demand Walmart-style checkout policy to be axed after customer stunned by item 'loophole' With shoppers expected to flock to stores, Aldi's urging parents to mark their calendars and stock up before shelves are stripped bare. The deal will only be available in stores so you'll have to head to your local Aldi. It's worth calling up ahead and checking if they're in stock before making a trip. How does it compare? At Asda, the same bundle - two shirts, a cardigan and a skirt – will set you back £18. For boys, a sweatshirt, two-pack shirts and cargo shorts comes to £18.50. Over at Tesco, you're looking at £6 for two shirts, £4 for a sweatshirt and £9 for cargo shorts – a total of £19. And if your little one wears a pinafore, a two-pack will cost you £10. This makes Aldi's uniform deal the cheapest by far. Its always good to compare prices across different stores to make sure you're getting the best bang for your buck. How to compare prices to get the best deal JUST because something is on offer, or is part of a sale, it doesn't mean it's always a good deal. There are plenty of comparison websites out there that'll check prices for you - so don't be left paying more than you have to. Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers. Here are some that we recommend: Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web. Simply type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results. Price Spy logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and the supermarkets. Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock. Idealo is another website that lets you compare prices between retailers. All shoppers need to do is search for the item they need and the website will rank them from the cheapest to the most expensive one. CamelCamelCamel only works on goods being sold on Amazon. To use it, type in the URL of the product you want to check the price of. Save money Aldi How to save money when shopping at Aldi Unlike other major grocers, Aldi does not have a rewards or point card system but that does not mean you cannot save on your shop. Every week the store releases a list of special buys, which are unique bargain products you find online at Aldi and in store. The store releases a fresh range of deals every Thursday and Sunday, so be sure to check regularly to see what's new. Meanwhile, the store also regularly sells fruit and vegetables at highly discounted prices, as part of its 'super six' deal. It also does weekly saving offers on typically pricey items such as meat and fish. Plus, it's worth keeping an eye out for products with red stickers on them. These are added to items that have been reduced due to them being close to their best before date or slightly damaged. The best time to get these reduced products is towards the end of the day, when you can get discounts worth up to 75%. How can I save money on school uniforms? IF you are struggling to afford the cost of school uniform or PE kit, you may be able to apply for a grant from your local council - but the criteria vary from council to council. This is usually in the form of a one-off payment paid directly into your bank account. Some councils will reimburse payments made to approved retailers. You can ask your local council what help is available and when you need to apply. If you can't get targeted help from your council, there are other options to get cheap uniform. Speak to your school to see if they can offer you some clothing. Some charities offer help to families in need too. Charity Turn2Us has a free grants search tool on its website which you can use to find out what help is available to you. Charity shops can also be a good place to find cheap school uniform.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
Parents fury as school to ban SKIRTS in move to be 'more inclusive' as it pushes for 'gender neutral options for all students'
A school has banned pupils from wearing skirts in its drive to be 'more inclusive' and offer ' gender neutral options'. Students will no longer be allowed to wear the item of clothing as of September after a letter was circulated this week informing them of the uniform change. Furious parents at Honywood School in Essex have hit out branding the move 'group punishment' and 'crazy'. It comes after the headteacher James Saunders also said in his communication on Monday that pupils had been wearing the skirts incorrectly. Students can currently choose from trousers or a school-branded skirt - but come the new academic year their only options will be black trousers or black, knee-length, tailored shorts. A letter seen by the Colchester Gazette said: 'Over time, we have unfortunately experienced persistent issues with school skirts being worn incorrectly. 'By replacing the option of skirts, ongoing challenges in this regard are removed so that the collective staff and learner focus, and energy within school remains fully on learning.' It adds that tailored shorts will provide a more gender-neutral option for all pupils and uniform may become more financially affordable for families by replacing the skirt. A parent, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Gazette: 'I am disappointed - they are rolling it out as a gender-neutral initiative but it's not really, they are trying to do group punishment. 'Yes, girls should wear skirts appropriately and parents should be enforcing it.' She added her daughter, in Year 7, wore skirts with the school branding which she had 'spent money on' and concluded the change was 'crazy'. The parent also claimed last September the school banned female students from wearing socks and they now have to 'wear tights all year round'. Locals have taken to social media to weigh in with their thoughts, saying 'I'm surprised they haven't banned trousers instead' and 'is this not discrimination against girls'. But a few parents said they were not surprised as 'some of the girls roll them up so short'. One person said: 'It will stop them from rolling them over at the waist band so they are so short.' Another added: 'There should be a strict uniform regulations and if not adhered to parents heavily fined: end of.' Come the new academic year students' only options will be black trousers or black, knee-length, tailored shorts (file image) But a third commented: 'This is really interfering with their education.' And someone else said: 'That's ridiculous, yes have rules but making girls wear shorts/trousers... what is this world coming to.' The school issued a public letter to parents on social media this evening where Mr Saunders said in his view the approach to banning skirts was 'not contentious'. He explained: 'It follows a simple uniform model used by many schools across the country. 'I would like to reassure you that we will open a dialogue to include parents' views so that they may be able input directly into this process.' Honywood School has followed in the footsteps of a handful of other secondary schools that announced they would be moving to a trousers-only policy in September. Canon Slade School in Bolton and Philips High in Whitefield, Bury, are among those to have already made the change. The school's response A spokesman for Honywood School told the Gazette: 'On Monday, a letter regarding changes to our uniform policy was sent to families. The school received a number of queries about these changes. 'At this time, we have not been able to respond to these enquiries as they were received less than 24 hours ago. 'Our policy is to respond to all communications within 48 hours. We will be responding through the appropriate channels in due course. 'We take the opinions and concerns of our families seriously. 'It is disappointing that we have not been given time to respond in our normal community-minded way and that families feel this is a matter that needs reporting in the media. 'We have always preferred to work directly with families rather than respond to external pressures via third parties. 'We only wish families were more passionate and vocal about the real challenges schools are facing currently such as lack of funding and SEND support or that the media was exposing these issues publicly. 'The approach we have taken is not contentious and follows a simple uniform model used by lots of schools across the country. 'It is clear that our families have concerns and we will continue to work with them directly to achieve a mutually accepted solution as the media is not the appropriate platform to deal with this matter.'
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Radio star Lauren Phillips, 37, brags about still fitting into her school uniform after 20 years and her prestigious accolades
Breakfast radio star Lauren Phillips treated fans to a trip down memory lane on Wednesday when she tried on her old school uniform. The 37-year-old Nova 100 host shared a video of herself modelling the purple ensemble, which consisted of a short pleated skirt, shirt and matching blazer. 'Screaming, it actually fits - just,' an amazed Lauren said in the caption, adding, 'Loving myself sick.' The Jase & Lauren show star revealed she had been a prefect and middle school house captain at her old school Wesley College in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Waverley. Posting an image of the blazer and her badges, Lauren said her mother had kept the uniform after 20 years. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Lauren's nostalgic post comes amid a planned stunt by the Nova breakfast team to 'relive' their high school years on Friday. Nova announced on Thursday that co-host Clint Stanaway will join Lauren and Jason 'Jase' Hawkins as they broadcast their show from a bus travelling the Glenn Waverley area. Along the way, the team planned to stop at Clint's old school Glen Waverley High and Lauren's Wesley College. It continues a 'nostalgic kick' by the Nova breakfast team that began in February when the Jase and Lauren Show Instagram account shared a throwback snap of Lauren. Paying tribute to all the children starting school in 2025, the photo showed the radio star looking unrecognisable in junior school at Wesley. The photo showed Lauren flashing the camera quite the cheeky grin as she posed in her school uniform. The future radio star looked cute-as-a-button in the snap, which also showed her adding a pop of colour to her uniform with a purple scrunchie. It wasn't just Lauren that was given the throwback treatment either, with the account also sharing adorable childhood photos of co-hosts Jase Hawkins and Clint Stanaway. Like Lauren, both looked almost unrecognisable in the photos, save for Jase whose cheeky grin was apparent, even as a youngster. Clint too has undergone a bit of a transformation in the ensuing years. His throwback photo showed him sporting a shock of blonde hair - more than a few shades lighter than his current do. The presenter was also sporting freckles across the bridge of his nose and a wry smile. Last year, Lauren revealed that she was left 'broken' after losing her KIIS FM job to Kyle & Jackie O after they landed a $200million expansion deal to broadcast in Melbourne. 'I was gutted. I thought that was the end of my radio career,' she told in July. 'Late last year I was ready to leave the country and move overseas. I was like, "I'm out of here".' When Nova approached the radio duo for a breakfast show opportunity, Lauren revealed she was initially hesitant to get on board and explained she was worried of facing the axe again. 'I had a pretty bad taste in my mouth and I was scared of that happening again,' she said.
