Key facts
- European countries are considering adapting school calendars due to increasing heatwaves.
- Some nations are exploring extending summer holidays to cope with extreme heat.
- Over 900,000 pupils in Europe had education disrupted by heatwaves in 2024.
- By 2050, a significant number of European schools are projected to experience days above 30°C.
- Measures taken include early class dismissals, schedule adjustments, and calls for thermometers.
Europe is grappling with the increasing frequency of heatwaves, prompting discussions about how to adapt educational calendars. The length of summer holidays varies widely across the continent, with some countries like Italy enjoying up to 14 weeks off, while others such as Denmark and Germany have as little as six weeks. As extreme heat becomes more common, nations including France, Spain, and Italy are considering measures to mitigate the impact on students and education. These measures range from finishing classes early to potentially extending the summer break. In 2024, UNICEF reported that over 900,000 pupils in Europe had their education disrupted by heatwaves. Current data indicates that approximately 16,650 schools already experience days with maximum temperatures above 30°C during the school year, a figure projected to rise significantly by 2050 under high-warming scenarios. Schools in France and Belgium have already implemented early closures or suspended classes due to extreme heat. Other adaptations include equipping classrooms with thermometers and adjusting daily schedules. While extending summer holidays is a proposed solution, critics raise concerns about potential disruptions to parents' work schedules and disadvantages for lower socioeconomic families.