As temperatures are forecast to remain unusually high, we wanted to write to you to explain our decision to keep the school open.

As a school, we recognise that we play an important role within our community. We support not only our children but also our families and the wider workforce. Many parents and carers rely on school provision to enable them to continue working and we therefore feel we have a responsibility to remain open for as long as it is safe to do so.

Please be assured that the safety and wellbeing of our pupils and staff remain our absolute priority. We are confident that we can maintain a safe environment and have put a number of measures in place to help children remain as comfortable as possible throughout the day. These include ensuring children have regular access to drinking water, encouraging frequent hydration, making use of shaded and cooler areas where possible, no strenuous physical activity and adapting the school day as required to minimise exposure to the hottest temperatures. For the remainder of this week the school will relax the rules regarding handheld fans if this makes life just a little more comfortable for our children.

We continue to ask that children come to school with a named hat/cap. Please also ensure they have a long lasting sun cream applied before arriving at school.

Whilst we are confident that we can keep children safe, cool and well cared for, we fully appreciate that some families may prefer to keep their child at home during this period of exceptionally hot weather. Should you choose to do so, we will respect that decision and ask that you notify the school in the usual way.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will review our position should conditions change or if it is no longer safe to remain open.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and understanding.