Schools too hot for learning, say unions

 The heating should be turned down in classrooms to stop teachers and children getting tired, the largest education union in the UK has said.

The National Education Union (NEU) believes that being too hot can lead to tiredness, fatigue and ill health.

While there are regulations in place to ensure that classrooms are not too cold, no rule for maximum temperature exists.

Now the NEU has said a maximum temperature was essential to protect the well-being of children and school staff. The union recommends a maximum temperature of 78f (26C).

The plea follows fresh calls from the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) to impose a similar guideline north of the border.

Larry Flanagan, EIS general secretary, said: “School classrooms are not just accommodation; they are learning environments each requiring their own specific temperatures… we need to be aware of the potential risk of classrooms being too hot for pupils and teachers to work in safely.”