TOWIE star Lydia Bright has led Britain’s parents in criticising teachers for closing schools during the record-breaking heatwave, saying children will just swelter at home instead.
As of Wednesday, more than 1,000 schools across the UK are shutting their doors or reducing opening hours as Britons brace for temperatures of 40C and above this week.
Lydia, mother to daughter Loretta, six, was critical of her primary school’s decision to close at short notice, pointing out that the move ‘creates problems for working parents’.
Others have branded teachers as ‘lazy’ on social media, claiming they are simply looking for a day off and pointing out that employees in other industries are still expected to work.
One LBC caller warned this morning that Britain is ‘breeding a nation of melts’ who will be ‘ill-prepared for real life in this hard world’.
Lydia is currently on a P&O Cruises brand collaboration trip around the Mediterranean, and told her Instagram followers she has been desperately trying to arrange extra childcare for her daughter.
‘Am I the only one who thinks this is madness?’ she asked her 1.2million followers.
TOWIE star Lydia Bright has criticised her daughter’s primary school for announcing a last-minute closure due to the UK heatwave
As of Wednesday, more than 1,000 schools across the UK are closing or reducing opening hours. Lydia, mum to Loretta, six, was critical of her school’s decision, pointing out that an emergency closure ‘creates problems for working parents’
‘At 7.15pm on Monday night, I received an email to say the school would be closing at 1pm on Tuesday and now today and Thursday because of the heat. I’m struggling to get my head around it.’
‘Children all over the world sit in classrooms in these temperatures every day, without air conditioning,’ she continued.
‘Our children happily spend entire days on holiday in this heat and when we collect them at 1pm we’re taking them home to houses that are exactly the same temperature. Maybe I’m missing something?’
‘I’m currently overseas trying to rearrange plans for Loretta and I know I won’t be the only working parent trying to move schedules and commitments.’
Lydia, who shares custody of Loretta with her ex-boyfriend Lee Cronin, ended her post by saying: ‘It feels like we’re solving one problem by creating another for hundreds of working families.’
Twelve schools across Lydia’s home county of Essex have confirmed full or partial closures on Wednesday, with most of those moving to remote learning.
Parents are facing major disruption after at least 578 schools in England and more than 500 in Wales announced full or partial closures amid concerns over dangerous classroom temperatures.
Almost 100 schools in Somerset are shut on Wednesday and Thursday, while around 100 schools in Buckinghamshire and dozens more across Gloucestershire have announced full or partial closures.
Other schools have relaxed uniform rules and allowed pupils to attend in PE kits rather than blazers and long trousers.
However, the measures have been criticised by parents and social media users.
LBC caller James said the decision to close schools was leaving children ‘ill-prepared for real life in this hard world’.
He told presenter Henry Riley: ‘We are breeding a nation of melts. We’ve got children that as you’ve already said are locked in their bedrooms.
‘They are so ill-prepared for what real life in this hard world is like.’
The former TOWIE star is currently on a P&O Cruises brand collaboration trip around the Mediterranean, and told her Instagram followers she has been trying to arrange extra childcare
Meanwhile, one person posted on social media: ‘Why is it that schools can close when it suits them, but if a parent takes their own child out of class for the day they’re threatened with fines and prosecution.
‘Teachers are just lazy and want the day off.’
Another added: ‘Pathetic.. wonder why kids are wet wipes… this is why…wrapped in cotton wool.. yet every single kid off school is playing in the sun.. make it make sense.’
A third said: ‘In the real world, supply bottles of water to keep them hydrated. In work life, you are NOT sent home because it’s hot.’
This all comes after a rare red extreme heat warning came into force for just the second time this morning, covering London, parts of the Midlands, and south-east Wales.
The Met Office has since extended it by three hours until 11.59pm on Thursday and to other southern areas across Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex.
An amber extreme heat warning has also been issued for Friday, which covers eastern and central England, and Saturday for parts of eastern England.
Alongside the warmth, there is also a chance of thunderstorms with a yellow warning in place for Thursday evening in south-west England.
The forecaster has predicted temperatures could reach 40C this week and said that the exceptional conditions pose a risk to life not just for vulnerable people, but across the wider population.
Britain’s highest temperature on record is 40.3C which was set in Coningsby in July 2022.
In an ominous warning, forecasters have said they expect the 50-year June temperature record of 35.6C to get ‘absolutely smashed’.
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