Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many how many schools closed as a consequence of extreme heat in the week commencing 22 June 2026.

Schools have a duty to provide daily attendance data to the department. Attendance data is published on a fortnightly basis and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools/releases. Attendance data for the week commencing 22 June 2026 will be published on 9 July 2026.

It is for individual settings and responsible bodies to determine their approach to closure based on their own risk assessment. Closures should be considered a last resort, and the imperative is for settings to remain open where it is safe to do so.

Schools play an important safeguarding role and access to education remains a priority for pupils’ wellbeing and safety. Settings should seek to remain open and manage high temperatures through practical adjustments. There is currently no requirement for them to notify the government if they decide to close.

Where settings are temporarily closed, they should provide remote education for the duration of the closure, in line with the department’s guidance on providing remote education for schools, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providing-remote-education-guidance-for-schools.

Where possible, pupils should receive regular teaching and interaction with teachers, including live or structured input alongside independent work.