A recent study revealed that the extreme heatwave in the UK in June caused over 15 million hours of lost classroom time, as hundreds of schools closed or ended early. In England and Wales alone, at least 760,000 schoolchildren missed lessons. The heatwave, which lasted eight days and prompted a rare red health alert, saw temperatures inside some classrooms rise above 40°C, leading to heat stress, nausea, and headaches among students and teachers. Jenny Cooper, a teacher and safety representative for London with the National Education Union, described the situation as dire, with staff and pupils fainting and at least one colleague requiring emergency medical attention. She emphasized the urgent need for safe learning environments, warning that the combination of extreme weather and underfunding is putting students at risk. The research, conducted by DeSmog and based on school closure reports and official absence data, found that over 1,700 schools in England and Wales either closed completely or ended early during the June heatwave. Teachers told the Guardian that learning was nearly impossible as record-breaking temperatures disrupted classrooms. One primary school teacher described the conditions as overwhelming, with students lying on the floor, sweating, and suffering from headaches and nausea, while staff struggled to manage the chaos. In schools that stayed open, absence rates spiked as parents chose to keep their children at home. One parent said she removed her five-year-old from school after he returned home with severe heat rashes. Experts warn that the disruption caused by school closures and absences could have long-term consequences for students’ education and mental health, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Nicola Gray from the University of Huddersfield highlighted the risks of missed school days, including lower exam scores and worsened mental health. She also noted that schools offer more than just education—they provide essential social services, meals, and opportunities for social interaction. Charlotte O’Regan from the Sutton Trust added that students from the most deprived areas are particularly at risk, as school leaders face tough funding decisions. She warned that extreme weather could become another barrier to success for these students, following the already significant education gap widened during the pandemic. Parents, educators, and academics are calling for urgent changes to ensure students can stay safe and learn effectively, especially as more extreme weather is expected in the coming years due to climate change and the El Niño phenomenon. Jenny Cooper, who retired from teaching in September, called for a complete overhaul of the school system, stressing the need for proper funding to prepare for increasingly severe weather. A spokesperson for the UK Department for Education acknowledged the challenges of extreme heat, praising schools for keeping children learning safely during the crisis. They also mentioned ongoing investments to improve school resilience, including a £710 million program for school upgrades and nearly £20 billion allocated to rebuild over 750 schools. DeSmog’s findings were compiled using AI, census data, and government records, with input from national and local news reports.