Amid confusion over what High School students can wear to lessons this week, the Director of Education has stepped in to clarify the situation.
Nick Hynes has left it to the individual school Headteachers to decide what measures need to be taken during the current heatwave – but some parents were worried their children would be forced to wear blazers and ties, and even jumpers, despite the temperature being forecast to reach 35c by midweek.
“Parents can be reassured that Headteachers and Principals are taking practical steps to support pupils during the high temperatures over the coming days,” said Mr Hynes.
“Schools are already reminding pupils about the importance of staying hydrated and protected from the sun, and staff will be monitoring their wellbeing throughout the day. Where necessary, schools will be adapting activities, making use of cooler areas of their buildings, adjusting lesson plans and introducing greater flexibility around uniform requirements to help learners stay comfortable.
“Schools will continue to monitor their buildings and activities, making sensible adjustments based on their individual circumstances. The priority is to ensure that our pupils remain supported and able to continue learning. At this time, we expect schools to remain open throughout the week, but we will communicate directly with families if this changes.”
Express has seen comments from parents asking if their children need to wear jumpers, blazers, and ties, with a majority of comments focused on Les Varendes High School which had originally asked for “students to arrive in school with blazers and ties”.
The school’s message to parents yesterday had said that “if the temperature increases throughout the day, we will communicate to students when to remove aspects of the uniform”.
The school also reiterated numerous times on its Facebook page that students were not wearing blazers yesterday in response to multiple comments from concerned parents.
Other schools have similarly taken steps to make pupils more comfortable, including Les Beaucamps High which has made it clear that a ‘relaxed uniform policy’ is in place, and PE lessons are being modified to avoid strenuous activity during the peak heat.
Castel Primary is among those modifying arrangements for younger pupils.
“… please be assured that staff are adapting activities and the curriculum to make sure children do not become over-heated or over-exposed to the sun,” the school has said.
Its pupils do not need to wear school uniform this week but they need to have sensible shoes on.
The primary school has also instigated a ‘no hat, no play’ policy for break and lunchtime.
