A secondary school principal in Doncaster has argued that government investment is essential to prepare schools for increasingly frequent heatwaves, with some institutions already closing when temperatures become unsafe for teaching. Although the school remained open by adjusting uniform policies and providing temperature relief measures, the headteacher contends that lasting solutions require substantial funding for air conditioning retrofits across the affected estates.

The underlying problem stems from school buildings constructed decades ago, which were engineered to retain heat during winters and lack adequate ventilation or cooling capacity for hotter summers. Recent temperatures have exceeded 35 degrees Celsius in newer buildings, prompting a climate adaptation specialist to call for a comprehensive national strategy—comparable to emergency preparedness—to modernize school facilities and ensure they can cope with projected climate conditions.