Staff and pupils have coped well with the heat today. Temperatures are expected to peak today, falling tomorrow onwards.

During the day, we have checked temperatures of classrooms and monitored carbon-dioxide (CO2) levels. Each classroom has its own monitoring device:

• when temperatures exceeded 35 C, we moved classes to cooler rooms in and around school. Classes 4H, 4S, 5H and 5S were affected. The CO2 level in class 5S was also poor. These classrooms are south-facing, on the first floor, in the oldest part of the building with little internal air flow.
• most classrooms had temperatures around 31 - 32 C. Classrooms to the north of the school site and those on the ground-floor where there are 2 storeys were the coolest rooms. 
• CO2 levels were acceptable in all other rooms. 

Outside temperatures at lunch time on the south-facing flank of the school were hot at around 37 C. The south perimeter of the school site offers shade from natural planting, including the school's forest area. Temperature here was much lower with the benefit of a light cooling breeze:

• our youngest children stayed cool inside classrooms for lunch break
• older pupils had a short time outside, staying in the shade and avoiding vigorous play.