Red Heat Health Alert (Wednesday 24th - Thursday 25th June) – Information for Schools and Early Years Settings
Message from Tony Fitzpatrick, Director of Education Hertfordshire County Council
Following on from our earlier notification regarding an Amber Heat Health alert, the Met Office have now issued a rare Red Warning for extreme heat issued for parts of England, which includes Hertfordshire. This level of alert indicates that the Met Office considers there to be a significant risk to health and life, as well as potential disruption to power supplies and transport.
The Amber alert remains in place until Tuesday, with the red alert taking effect from Wednesday morning until Thursday evening. The amber alert then continues until 11 pm on Friday 26th June 2026.
Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) advises schools to carry out appropriate risk assessments and implement reasonable adjustments based on their individual circumstances.
It is acknowledged that this extreme heat poses an increased risk for Special schools. Our Public Health (PH) colleagues can provide additional support should it be felt necessary. The PH Health Protection Team HertsHPT.SPOC@hertfordshire.gov.uk can be contacted in these circumstances.
Aswell as the links already shared with schools, please be reminded that HCC has produced a ‘Working in Hot Weather / Heatwaves’ risk assessment, which can be accessed here: Generic risk assessments - Hertfordshire Grid for Learning
This document aligns with Department for Education (DfE) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance, available here: Hot weather and heatwaves: guidance for schools and other education settings – The Education Hub
Please ensure you review the guidance and take all necessary steps to safeguard pupils and staff during this period.