10 July 2025

Press Release

For immediate release

Overhaul outdated school regulations to cool down heatwave-hit playgrounds, urges WWF

Outdated school grounds regulations are leaving playground vulnerable to extreme heat and flooding
Artificial surfaces get substantially hotter than natural surfaces during heatwaves
Parents describe ‘shade breaks’ and ‘hot play’ at schools to protect children as heat disrupts sports days and play times
WWF and Learning Through Landscapes call on government to overhaul regulations with renewed emphasis on nature

Outdated school premises regulations are leaving playgrounds vulnerable to extreme heat and flooding, WWF warns today, as schools prepare to cope with another term-time heatwave this week. Temperatures are expected to exceed 30C again by the end of the week in the third heatwave of the summer term – a reminder of the urgent need for schools to adapt.

English school premises regulations are largely unchanged since the 1950s and as such make no consideration of rising temperatures due to climate change. Many pupils spend break times in playgrounds dominated by artificial surfaces like tarmac, rubber crumb and astroturf – materials that absorb and retain heat, and little shade. Research shows that these artificial surfaces can get substantially hotter than natural surfaces such as grass, soil and sand.

In many schools, natural features like grass and trees have been removed and replaced with heat-retaining materials like tarmac and metal bus stop shelters, which can exacerbate the impact of high temperatures. During some school sports days, pupils have had to take ‘shade breaks’ indoors to avoid overheating, and one parent described how children and families were left standing in the sun on hot Astroturf with no shelter. Some schools have also introduced ‘hot play’ - similar to ‘wet break’ - where children must stay inside because outdoor surfaces become too hot to use safely.

In colder months, artificial surfaces can also lead to flooding- a growing concern as climate change drives more intense downpours.

National school grounds charity Learning Through Landscapes supported the call for a rethink, saying that regulations across all four UK nations were outdated and “disconnected from the needs of today’s schools”.

The Department of Education has acknowledged that overheating and flooding are increasing risks for schools and will impact on learning. However, current measures don’t include improvements to the School Premises Regulations.

WWF is calling on the government to update these regulations to ensure that schools have accessible, natural surfaces and areas in their grounds – which have also been shown to have a beneficial effect on pupils’ mental wellbeing. Changes like these would support schools in developing climate action plans.

The School Premises Regulations which cover schools in England have changed little since the 1950s. At present, they simply require schools to provide outdoor space for physical education and play – but that space does not have to be green. The associated 2014 Guidelines for Mainstream Schools allow all-weather pitches to count as ‘soft surfaced areas’. Moreover, these artificial surfaces count as twice the area of natural surfaces and spaces. This means schools can reduce the total outdoor area they are required to provide for pupils by replacing nature with artificial surfaces.

Schools are increasingly building playgrounds and fixed play equipment on artificial surfaces, but it doesn’t have to be this way. In Berlin, Germany, all playgrounds must have natural surfaces, helping to mitigate temperature spikes and flooding and exposing children to a more natural environment.

WWF has also been working with schools in Leicester to increase nature in 35 school grounds across the city. In partnership with Learning through Landscapes, WWF is also running a pilot programme with 10 primary schools to increase the amount of natural space in playgrounds, and will be publishing guidance for all schools in the autumn to help embed nature-based solutions into schools.

Rosalind Mist, Director of Campaigns, Education and Youth for WWF, 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. Updating these regulations is a quick win for the government with very little cost.”

Matt Robinson, CEO at Learning Through Landscapes, said:

“Current school grounds regulations across all four UK nations are outdated and disconnected from the needs of today’s schools. We also lack clear, modern guidance on what excellent school grounds should look like. We’re calling on the Government to lead with modest but meaningful policy changes to remove structural and attitudinal barriers that hinder school grounds developments. It’s time to set a bold vision for school grounds which are rich in nature, resilient to climate change, and support daily opportunities for learning, play, and sport for all children and young people.”

ENDS