SCHOOLS in two local trusts will be closed this Wednesday and Thursday (June 24 and 25) after the Met Office issued a red alert for extreme heat across the area.

The Midsomer Norton Partnership Trust (MNPT), and the Partnership Trust, in Radstock, sent letters to parents and carers on Monday announcing the decision that all schools would be closed on the two days, although they would remain open on Tuesday and Friday as normal.

The letter stated the decision had been made after considering guidance from the Government and taking into consideration the local context.

The decision to reopen on Friday would be kept under review.

MNPT chief executive Alun Williams said: “Clearly, we will need to keep the decision to remain open on Friday under review.

“If anything changes your child’s school will notify you in the usual way about further closures.

“I appreciate this decision may cause some issues for working parents but we feel we are unable to adequately mitigate potential risks to pupils and staff if schools were to remain open.

“The guidance is quite clear in red alerts of the potential risk to life, particularly for vulnerable people.”

Partnership Trust chief executive Emily Massey said: “This decision has not been taken lightly.

“Our priority is always to keep the school open where is is safe to do so.

“However, due to the risks posed by extreme heat, particularly with vulnerable pupils and the large number of young people who travel long distances on local authority transport, we believe this is the safest course of action.”