Hot Weather Advice & Water Safety

Hot Weather Advice

Most of us welcome warm weather, but when it’s too hot for too long, there are health risks. In England, there are on average 2000 heat related deaths every year.

For advice on hot weather see here: Advice for hot weather | Bradford Council

Water Safety

It can be incredibly tempting to use rivers, canals, lakes, and reservoirs to cool off during hot weather, but there are many hidden dangers and tragically every year during the summer months there is a sharp rise in the number of accidental drownings in the UK.

Take care and follow local safety advice if you are going into the water to cool down.

• The Royal Life Saving Society’s website has information about summer water safety.
• Please talk to your young people about the dangers and risks – West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued a warning about the dangers of cooling off in open water.

Water Safety – Free Resources & Workshops for Schools

Outdoor water safety helps children and young people understand the dangers in water, why summer can be a particularly risky time, and the importance of staying safe while swimming outdoors – please see a range of free support below for schools.

RNLI Water Safety Programmes

Children and young adults are one of the groups of people most vulnerable to drowning. To help tackle this, the RNLI have developed water safety programmes to help educate young people about how they can have fun and stay safe in and around the water. See their range of outreach workshops and sessions available to educate and inform young people about how to be safe – in, on, or around the water.

See here: RNLI water safety programmes

Canal River Trust – Explorers – Schools

Explorers is the Trust’s learning programme aimed at 5–12-year-olds, designed to inspire learning by connecting young people to canals and rivers and helping everyone to stay safe around water. They offer in-school and online workshops, talks, and free resources. The programme supports delivering age-appropriate advice through interactive activities, helping children understand and stay safe around water.

See here: Learning resources for Teachers | Primary school resources

Swim Safe – School Resources

Swim Safe is a free water safety programme created by Swim England and the RNLI in 2013. They offer a range of fantastic, colourful resources to help you deliver fun, engaging lessons on outdoor water safety, including activity sheets, handouts, and information for parents. Download their tips and resources to support teaching children the importance of staying safe while swimming outdoors.

See here: Swim Safe for schools

Pol-Ed – A positive force in education

Pol-Ed supports schools in delivering expertly planned lessons designed to develop a deep awareness of risks, citizenship and the law. Schools across West Yorkshire have access to their free service. Their resources help teachers deliver engaging sessions that build understanding and resilience, including a Summer Water Safety assembly covering water dangers, beach safety, and what to do in an emergency.

See here: A positive force in education | Pol-Ed – A positive force in education