As Britain swelters in record-breaking heatwaves, a stark comparison between two buildings at Beaconsfield Primary School in west London has exposed the UK's woeful lack of preparation for the impacts of climate change. The school's 130-year-old Victorian-Edwardian building, with its thick brickwork, remains a cool haven even as temperatures soar – while its modern counterpart, constructed just eight years ago, becomes unbearably hot.
Dave Woods, headteacher and president of the National Association of Head Teachers, says that despite being designed following Department for Education guidelines, the newer building "becomes extremely hot all the time" – forcing classes to flee to the older premises. Mr Woods cites numerous examples of modern schools built with expansive glass, creating a "greenhouse effect", highlighting a systemic problem rather than an isolated incident.
Many schools dating from the 1970s suffer from long flat roofs, poor insulation and inadequate ventilation, making them vulnerable to rising temperatures. Even high-profile programmes like Tony Blair's 'Building Schools for the Future' failed to address fundamental provisions for mitigating climate change effects – leaving a significant proportion of school buildings ill-equipped to cope.
The Climate Change Committee has warned that all existing plans for adapting to extreme weather are "not fit for purpose", singling out education as an area requiring urgent attention. The committee recommends that schools be fitted with air conditioning by 2050, and suggests reconsidering exam timings traditionally held in May and June due to the heat's impact on students' ability to learn and sleep.
The Department of Education has pledged to accelerate its school refurbishment programme, committing almost £20 billion to overhaul over 750 schools and colleges by 2035. However, experts warn this may be insufficient given that more than 22,000 state schools and colleges require adaptation – making it essential for the government to invest substantially more in climate resilience measures.