Newtown High School will close both its Newtown and John Beddoes campuses on Thursday after many classrooms were deemed “unsuitable for use due to excessive temperatures”.
The school warned forecast conditions in Newtown and Presteigne are now “comparable to those in ‘red zone’ areas of the country where schools have closed”.
Students have been told to stay at home and take precautions during the hottest part of the day, with advice to stay indoors between 11am and 3pm and keep hydrated. Work will be provided online via MS Teams.
School leaders stressed the decision had not been taken lightly.
“We fully recognise the disruption that school closures can cause to families and have carefully considered all available options,” the statement said.
However, they pointed to worsening conditions, “reduced capacity within the school building” and ongoing kitchen issues at the Newtown campus.
“Given the forecast for tomorrow, we believe that closing the school for one day is the most responsible course of action,” they added.
The closure applies to Thursday only, with Friday already scheduled as an INSET day.
“At present, we anticipate that the school will reopen as normal on Monday, June 29,” the statement continued.
“We appreciate that this decision may cause inconvenience, but we are confident that it is the right one in the interests of the safety and wellbeing of our pupils and staff.”
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