Schools are overheating: what can be done now?

The recent heatwaves that disrupted schools across the UK are unlikely to be a one-off event. Climate projections indicate that extreme heat events will become more frequent and more intense over the coming decades. Maintaining comfortable, productive learning environments is becoming an increasingly urgent challenge for education estates. While wholesale rebuilding programmes are unrealistic for most schools, there are a range of practical measures, from better building management and ventilation strategies to targeted upgrades, that can make a significant difference today while supporting longer-term resilience.

While long-term investment will play an important role in improving the resilience of school estates, some of the most effective measures are also the simplest. Before considering major refurbishment projects, schools should focus on making better use of the buildings they already have. Effective management of windows and ventilation can significantly influence classroom comfort, particularly through night-time purge ventilation and early morning cooling periods. Reviewing unnecessary window restrictions, repairing broken handles or painted shut openings, and ensuring ventilation strategies are understood by staff can all deliver immediate benefits at minimal cost. In many cases, improving comfort is less about introducing new technologies and more about unlocking the performance that already exists within the building.

Small investments, big impact

Once the basics have been addressed, a range of relatively small investments can deliver significant improvements in thermal comfort. Ceiling fans are a proven and cost-effective solution that increases air movement within classrooms, improving thermal comfort by enhancing evaporative cooling when temperatures remain high. Trials in schools have demonstrated their effectiveness, with many choosing to retain them beyond the trial period. External shading measures such as canopies, screens, and brise soleil can also help by reducing solar gain before it enters the building, while longer-term strategic tree planting can provide longer-term natural shading benefits. Together, these interventions can improve comfort, reduce reliance on mechanical cooling and help schools adapt to rising temperatures without the need for major capital projects.

Don't overlook the building fabric

As schools plan maintenance and refurbishment programmes, improving resilience to higher temperatures should become a key consideration. Opportunities to enhance the building fabric can often be delivered alongside planned upgrades, helping schools maximise value from existing investment. Replacing ageing roofs, for example, provides an opportunity to improve insulation, reducing heat gain in summer while supporting energy efficiency in winter. Similarly, when windows reach the end of their lifespan, schools should look beyond the lowest-cost replacement option and prioritise designs that support effective natural ventilation. Even seemingly simple decisions, such as selecting lighter-coloured and reflective roof finishes that reflect rather than absorb solar radiation, can contribute to cooler, more comfortable learning environments. By taking a longer-term view of refurbishment projects, schools can address overheating while improving the overall performance and resilience of their estates.

Decarbonisation 

Addressing overheating should not be viewed in isolation from the wider challenge of decarbonising the UK school estate. With the Department for Education targeting the removal of fossil fuel heating systems, many schools will transition to heat pump technology in the coming years. While heat pumps are primarily associated with low-carbon heating, reversible systems can also provide cooling, allowing schools to address decarbonisation and overheating through a single investment. Likewise, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels can play a dual role, generating renewable electricity to help power cooling systems during periods of peak demand while also providing a degree of shading to roof surfaces. By aligning overheating mitigation with planned decarbonisation projects, schools can deliver greater value from investment decisions and create learning environments that are both more sustainable and more resilient to future climate conditions.

Beyond engineering

As heatwaves become more frequent, schools may eventually need to rethink not just their buildings, but the way the school day is structured. In many parts of Europe, daily routines are designed around avoiding the hottest hours, yet in the UK learning and teaching often continue through peak afternoon temperatures. Could earlier start times, greater seasonal flexibility or even "heat days" become part of the conversation in the same way that snow days have been in the past? In the longer term, it is clear that adapting to a changing climate will require a combination of better buildings, smarter operations and a willingness to challenge long-established ways of working.

Adapting schools to a warmer climate is no longer a future challenge, though, it is a present-day necessity. The good news is that many of the solutions already exist, from low-cost operational changes and improved ventilation strategies to smarter refurbishment and decarbonisation investments. While transforming the UK's diverse school estate will take time, every school can begin taking steps today. The solutions are well understood. The challenge is securing the investment and long-term planning needed to implement them consistently across the school estate.