More than 1,000 UK schools close as record temperature reached for June

More than 1,000 schools are closed or cutting the school day short across the UK on Wednesday because of the heatwave.

More than 500 schools in Wales and over 500 in England have said they would shut or close early.

However, the true number is likely to be higher as not all schools share this information publicly.

The vast majority of those are in the south of England, where the red weather warning is in effect from today until Thursday night.

Let us know, if your school is closed or closing early? Tell us in the comments below...

The record for the hottest ever June day in the UK has been provisionally broken, with temperatures soaring to 36C in Wisley, Surrey.

This beats the previous hottest June day of 35.6C - but it is expected that a new record could still be hit of 37C or 38C in southern England on Wednesday or Thursday.

When a new record temperature is reached, it is almost always described as "provisional" - meaning something that can be changed or is temporary.

This is because the Met Office - along with national weather services around the world - have to make sure the measuring equipment is working properly and that conditions around the site at the time of the observation didn't have an impact on the readings.

This process can take days or weeks, and a record will remain provisional until those checks are completed.

The rare red warning for extreme heat is in place and covers parts of the Midlands, south-east Wales, eastern and southern England, including London.

Some schools are giving parents the option of collecting children early.

The majority of those planning to close are primary schools.

The Met Office has warned that people who are vulnerable, like the elderly or very young, need to be especially careful in the hot weather.

While there is no legal maximum temperature for classrooms, schools are expected to keep pupils safe from any risks to their health from the heat.

Don't forget, you can get involved in our chat about how hot your classroom is too.

Simon King from BBC Weather says: "Temperatures are forecast to reach 38C or even 39C on Wednesday and Thursday.

"That would beat the old record by up to around 3 degrees. Which would be an extraordinary amount."

Scientists are warning that even hotter temperatures are expected in the future.

BBC climate reporter Mark Poynting explained:

"The temperatures we are experiencing are particularly unusual so early in the summer, but they are consistent with how our climate is changing.

"If global warming continues at its current pace, temperatures in the mid-forties could be a serious possibility for the UK by 2050, according to Met Office projections."

Lizzie Kendon, professor of climate science at the University of Bristol and head of climate projections at the UK Met Office, said: "We expect increasing temperatures and the breaking of temperature records due to climate change."

Scientists say that global emissions of planet-warming gases, such as carbon dioxide need to be urgently cut to limit rising summer temperatures.

Experts have also warned that the UK needs to do more to prepare for extreme heat.