Call for cooling systems in school exam halls after record-breaking summer heat

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

Cooling systems should be considered for key areas of schools like exam halls to help pupils deal with extreme heat, a councillor has said.

Cllr Sandra Joy said pragmatic, short-term options should be looked at during a Swansea Council discussion about guidelines for headteachers regarding potential school closures and adaptations to school buildings.

It comes on the back of a hot exam season with a heatwave in late May and then a stronger one towards the end of June.

Cllr Joy and fellow Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Day had asked the Labour administration in writing what discussions had been taking place with headteachers to ensure there were clear guidelines to steer decisions to partially or completely close a school during extreme heat, what support there was to ensure minimum disruption, and what adaptations were being made to school buildings that were under construction or being modified to mitigate against the worst effects of more frequent high temperatures.

Speaking at a meeting of full council, Cllr Day said “it would be important for everyone to be clear” about guidance for schools when excessive heat occurred. He also asked if work was taking place with exam body WJEC (Welsh joint education committee) on this.

Cllr Robert Smith, cabinet member for education and learning, said in a written response the authority recognised the significant impact extreme heat could have on pupils and school operations.

He said the council had supported schools during the June heatwave via Welsh Government guidance and a Swansea-specific extreme heat risk assessment, and health and safety advice. “On this occasion there was no impact on external examinations,” he said.

“The council’s approach is that schools should remain open wherever it is safe to do so. Decisions on partial or full closures remain with headteachers and governing bodies, supported by local risk assessments and local authority guidance.”

Schools, he said, were encouraged to consider timetable adaptations, more water breaks and changes to outdoor activities before closure. He added that lessons had been learned following the June heatwave.

Cllr Smith said new-build schools and refurbishment projects increasingly included overheating mitigation through design, ventilation, shading and low-energy cooling solutions where appropriate rather than widespread air conditioning.

Speaking at the September 3 meeting he said would keep councillors updated about ongoing Welsh Government discussions and any WJEC ones if he became aware of them.

Cllr Smith also said that retrofitting buildings to better mitigate extreme heat would come at a cost.

Cllr Joy – a former deputy head herself- said she was not looking at widespread air conditioning installations but rather short-term measures.

“I just think we need to start making the moves now,” she said.

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