England Schools Suffer High Absences Amid Record-Breaking June Heatwave

England’s schools experienced a significant disruption last month as a searing June heatwave led to a near 20% absence rate, with nearly one in five school sessions missed. New figures reveal that on June 26, when temperatures soared to an intense 37.7C and parts of the country were under a rare “red” warning for extreme heat, the pupil absence rate reached an estimated 18.4 percent.

This figure, which measures the proportion of school sessions missed in state-funded schools (one session being half a day), represents the highest daily absence rate recorded so far during the 2025/26 academic year. Data released by the Department for Education (DfE) shows a steady increase in absences throughout that week, starting from 6.8 percent on June 22 and climbing to its peak on June 26.

More than 1,000 schools across England either closed entirely or partially on the Thursday and Friday of that week. Many institutions cited the severe red weather warning, lack of adequate air conditioning in classrooms, and the potential risks of travel during such high temperatures as primary reasons for their closures.

The 18.4 percent absence rate includes both authorised and unauthorised absences. On June 26, approximately 11.4 percent of sessions were missed with permission, while 7.0 percent were unauthorised. The DfE data also highlighted a slight difference between educational stages, with primary schools recording an estimated 17.4 percent absence rate, compared to 19.3 percent for secondary schools.

Despite the challenging conditions, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson had urged parents to ensure their children attended school if facilities remained open, emphasizing the long-term cost of every missed day and lesson. The impact of such extreme weather on education and the operational resilience of schools remains a critical discussion point.

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