Fury as schools ‘to BAN outdoor playtime for kids across UK' as playgrounds deemed ‘unsafe' in hot weather

The Sun

10-07-2025

SCHOOLS have been urged to ban outdoor play for kids in extreme heat - sparking fury from critics.
The controversial idea has been put forward by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which warns in a new report that sun-scorched tarmac, concrete and artificial grass are making school grounds dangerously hot and putting children at risk.
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The charity is urging schools and the government to act — and some schools appear to be responding by introducing so-called 'hot play' restrictions, which see children kept inside during breaktimes when surfaces are deemed too hot to use safely.
While the guidance is well-intentioned, critics say the measures are excessive and risk doing more harm than good.
Parents, campaigners and politicians have voiced anger over the bans, arguing that children should be encouraged to play outside — not kept indoors because of warm weather.
Chris McGovern, a former headteacher and chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: 'I taught for 35 years.
"Any teacher knows that the worst thing you can do on a hot day is to keep children confined in the classroom.
'Of course, there are always cases where a vulnerable child may need to stay indoors, and there should be areas of shade within the playground.
"But generally, the idea of locking all children inside is completely misguided.
'Just as in cold weather, they should be out running around.
"So we're making them into wimps. We don't want to make children into wimps.
"We want to toughen them up a little bit.'
He also raised concerns about the wider consequences for mental health and development, warning that keeping children indoors could encourage more screen time and less physical activity- concerns first reported by The Telegraph.
Others have echoed his concerns.
Tory MP Greg Smith said: 'It's absolute nonsense to attempt to wrap children in bubble wrap and away from anything that might be a bit uncomfortable.
'The correct answer is to take precautions in heat – hats, sun cream, light clothing – not hide from warm weather.'
Former Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg questioned WWF's role in the debate, saying: 'I am surprised that the World Wildlife Fund thinks children count as wildlife. I am not sure the children of England are that feral.
'Letting children enjoy the sunshine is only natural, and I fear these woke charities have too much time and money on their hands.'
WWF, however, argues that its suggestions are grounded in evidence and environmental urgency.
The charity says climate change is already making school grounds more extreme and less safe, with traditional building materials intensifying the effects of both heat and heavy rain.
Rosalind Mist, WWF's director of campaigns, education and youth, said: 'We can all see that we're facing more and more extreme weather due to climate change, from heatwaves to intense downpours.
'The current regulations are leading to schools being particularly vulnerable to risks of overheating and flooding.
'Luckily, there is an easy and reasonably cheap solution – adding more nature and more natural surfaces to school grounds.
"Not only does this help mitigate the effects of extreme weather, it also has a wide range of benefits for pupils, from increasing resilience and concentration to better mental health.'
WWF is now urging the Government to update school premises regulations — which haven't seen major changes since the 1950s — and introduce minimum requirements for green space in school environments.
The charity says greener playgrounds don't just help with heatwaves and heavy rain, they boost kids' focus, behaviour and mental health too.
Currently, there is no legal obligation for schools to include natural surfaces in play areas, despite mounting research suggesting the benefits of doing so.
Campaigners believe that reintroducing greenery, such as trees, shrubs and shaded zones, would allow children to continue playing safely outdoors even during periods of hot weather.
But in the absence of such infrastructure, some schools have taken matters into their own hands by restricting outdoor time.
Those decisions have sparked backlash from families who say the approach is heavy-handed and that a bit of sunshine shouldn't mean the end of outdoor play.
For now, as climate concerns grow and summer temperatures climb, the tension between environmental caution and childhood freedom looks set to continue, with schoolyards becoming the latest battleground in the climate conversation.