Oxford News
Full list of 117 school closures in Oxfordshire TODAY
The Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning for Oxfordshire and other parts of the southeast of England from 9am yesterday, Wednesday, June 24 until 9pm today, Thursday, June 25.
This comes as the record for the UK’s hottest June day was broken for a third time yesterday, with a temperature of 36°C breaking the previous record of 50 years.
The record was broken when provisional temperatures reached 36°C in Wisley, Surrey, and Gosport, Hampshire, today (Wednesday, June 24), the Met Office said.
It follows provisional temperatures reaching 35.7°C in Charlwood, Surrey, and 35.8°C at Wiggonholt, West Sussex, earlier on in the day.
READ MORE:
Oxfordshire schools closed TODAY (Thursday, June 25) in alphabetical order
Abbey Woods Academy
Status: Closed
Closure dates: Thursday, June 25
All Saints Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Ashbury With Compton Beauchamp Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Aureus Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Bardwell School
Status: Closed
Barley Hill Primary School
Status: Closed
Bartholomew School
Status: Part open
Bishopswood School
Status: Closed
Blessed George Napier Catholic School and Sixth Form
Status: Part open
Closure dates: closed to Years 7, 8 and 9
Bloxham Grove Academy
Status: Closed
Botley School
Status: Closed
Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Buckland Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Burford Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Burford School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Caldecott Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
Carterton Community College
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.15pm
Carterton Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Chalgrove Community Primary School
Status: Closed
Charlton Primary School
Status: Closed
Charlton-on-Otmoor Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Cheney School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
Chilton County Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Clanfield CofE Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Clifton Hampden Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Combe CofE Primary School
Status: Closed
Cumnor Church of England School
Status: Closed
Cutteslowe Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Dashwood Banbury Academy
Status: Closed
Didcot Girls’ School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.15pm
Drayton Community Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Dry Sandford Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
Ducklington Primary School
Status: Closed
Dunmore Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Europa School UK
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Faringdon Community College
Status: Closed
Finstock Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Fitzharrys School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Five Acres Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.15pm
Folly View Primary
Status: Closed
Frank Wise School
Status: Closed
Futures Institute Banbury
Status: Closed
Gagle Brook Primary School
Status: Closed
Gateway Primary School
Status: Closed
Gillotts School
Status: Closed
Glory Farm Primary School
Status: Closed
Graven Hill Primary School
Status: Closed
Great Milton Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Grove Church of England School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11am
Hagbourne Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Hailey Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Harriers Banbury Academy
Status: Closed
Harwell Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Heyford Park School
Status: Closed
Icknield Community College
Status: Closed
John Blandy Primary School
Status: Closed
John Watson School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
King Alfred’s
Status: Closed
King’s Meadow Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11am
Ladygrove Park Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Langford Village Community Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.45pm
Larkmead School
Status: Closed
Launton Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Leafield Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Lewknor Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Long Furlong Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Long Wittenham (Church of England) Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Longfields Primary and Nursery School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
Lord Williams’s School
Status: Closed
Mabel Prichard School
Status: Closed
Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge
Status: Closed
Manor Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Matthew Arnold School
Status: Closed
Meadowbrook College
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Middle Barton Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Mill Lane Community Primary School
Status: Closed
Millbrook Primary School
Status: Closed
Northern House Academy
Status: Part open for selected classes
Orion Academy
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Queen Emma’s Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Radley Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Rush Common School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Shellingford Church of England (Voluntary Aided) School
Status: Closed
Shiplake Church of England School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Shrivenham Church of England School
Status: Closed
Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Slade Nursery School
Status: Closed
South Stoke Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
Southwold Primary School
Status: Closed
Springfield School
Status: Closed
St Amand’s Catholic Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.45pm
St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School, Chinnor
Status: Closed
St Barnabas’ Church of England Aided Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
St Christopher’s Church of England School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: early finish at 1.10pm
St Ebbe’s Church of England Aided Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.45pm
St Edmund’s Catholic Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
St Francis Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
St James Church of England Primary School, Hanney
Status: Closed
St John the Evangelist CofE VA Primary School
Status: Closed
St Mary’s Church of England (Aided) Primary School, Chipping Norton
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
St Nicholas CofE Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: 12pm
St Nicolas Church of England Primary School, Abingdon
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
St Swithun’s CofE Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Stadhampton Primary School
Status: Closed
Stephen Freeman Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Stockham Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
Sunningwell Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Sutton Courtenay Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Thameside Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
The Bicester School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
The Cooper School
Status: Closed
The Elms Primary School
Status: Closed
The Henry Box School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
The Iffley Academy
Status: Closed
The Marlborough Church of England School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.25pm
The Oxford Academy
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.35pm
The Swan School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.35am
The Warriner School
Status: Closed
Thomas Reade Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Trinity Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Uffington Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Valley Road School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Wantage Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Watchfield Primary School
Status: Closed
Watlington Primary School
Status: Closed
West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School
Status: Closed
West Oxford Community Primary School
Status: Closed
Wheatley Park School
Status: Closed
Whitelands Academy
Status: Closed
Willowcroft Community School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Windmill Primary School
Status: Closed
Windrush Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Wolvercote Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
Wood Farm Primary School
Status: Closed
Woodstock Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Wootton St Peter’s Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Wychwood Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
Wykham Park
Status: Closed
It will take place tomorrow – Saturday – in the Abbey Gardens, starting from 10.30am, with tribute bands on stage from 5pm.
The event, which has been running for years, is backed by the town council and from 5pm watching the bands is a ticketed event.
While bands last year played in the rain, temperatures are set to remain high tomorrow with the heatwave continuing.
READ MORE: M40 and A34 road closures
A statement on the event website says: “Get ready for an unforgettable Fun and Music in the Park.
“It’s free during the daytime with lots of activities for all ages including inflatables, DIY face painting, arts and crafts and make your own music! We also have some fantastic live performances up until 5pm.
“From 5pm join us for live music and brilliant company in the Abbey Gardens for the ticketed Music in the Park 2026 – a night packed with legendary sounds and festival energy.
“This year’s incredible line up includes: Counterfeit Hit, The Dung Beatles, The Milestones and The Bohemians – The Ultimate Queen Tribute.
“Arrive early and soak up the atmosphere in our beer tent, where a hand-picked selection of fantastic local artists will be warming you up with live music before the headline acts take over.
“Bring your friends, bring your dancing shoes, and get ready to sing, sway, and rock the night away.”
The recent heatwave that has shattered records has intensified warnings about the pace and impact of climate change across Europe.
A rapid analysis conducted in response to the extreme hot and humid conditions affecting large parts of northern, western and central Europe has confirmed the event as the most severe heatwave ever recorded in the region.
June 2024 saw temperatures in the UK exceed records not seen since the summer of 1976, while France logged its hottest day on record and several other countries endured similar extremes, causing widespread disruption and placing pressure on public health systems.
June heatwave would be ‘virtually impossible’ in 1976
Dr Theodore Keeping, an extreme weather and wildfire researcher at Imperial College London, said: “The science of how climate change is worsening heatwaves is settled.
“Continued fossil fuel emissions are directly responsible for the disruption people are experiencing this week in their homes, schools and workplaces.”
The analysis by the World Weather Attribution group found that both daytime highs and overnight temperatures during the heatwave would have been virtually impossible at this time of year under the climate of 50 years ago.
A similar event occurring under those conditions would have been an estimated 3.5C cooler.
The researchers also found that the intense overnight heat, which has contributed to sleepless nights for many, is now about 100 times more likely than it was just 23 years ago during the deadly 2003 European heatwave.
Daytime temperature peaks are now around 10 times more likely.
Humidity has also emerged as a growing threat.
The summer of 1976 wasn’t just hot — it was relentless. ☀️🥵🇬🇧
People remember glorious beach weather and endless sunshine… but there was another side to it.
Reservoirs ran dry.
Grass turned to dust.
Livestock were fed winter straw.
Standpipes appeared in streets as families… pic.twitter.com/0Bi3BkUHgv— Benonwine (@benonwine) June 25, 2026
Nearly half (45%) of the 854 cities studied across 30 European countries have either broken or are expected to break their “wet bulb globe temperature” record – a measure of heat stress that accounts for the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating.
More than half the cities analysed in the UK and Ireland broke heat stress records during the heatwave.
This surge in temperatures has been fuelled by a “heat dome” – a blocked high-pressure system that traps hot air over Europe and draws up warm air from the Sahara.
A new record high temperature was set for June for the second day in a row on Thursday (June 25).
The Met Office said temperatures had reached 36.4C at Yeovilton, Somerset, provisionally making it the UK’s hottest June day on record.
The new high surpasses both the previous record set on Wednesday (June 24), when temperatures reached 36.1C in Gosport, Hampshire, and the long-standing record for June heat, which dates back to 1976.
Speed of climate change is ‘startling’
Researchers compared observed and forecast temperature data to identify the hottest three-day period of the heatwave and contrast it with similar events in a cooler climate.
Their findings point clearly to the role of climate change in making this heatwave possible.
Dr Keeping said: “The speed of change is startling.
“Every few years we are seeing heat records shattered in Europe.
“This year it has been in consecutive months.
“In the UK, we are used to ‘snow days’ shutting down schools, but this generation is now growing up with ‘heat days’ as well.”
Professor Friederike Otto, professor of climate science at Imperial College London, said: “Scientists like me are beginning to sound like a broken record.
“We put out similar quotes year after year, reacting to heat extremes that climb ever higher.
“Yes, this is climate change, yes it’s us, no it’s not El Niño, yes we have the solutions, no we’re not implementing them fast enough.
“It’s really now a question of what kind of future we want for ourselves, and whether we’re willing to do what it takes to secure it.”
Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said: “Extreme heat is shattering records across Europe, and the science is very clear about why: climate change is running rampant, caused by the world’s addiction to burning coal, oil and gas.
“But the solutions are equally clear: a faster shift to clean energy – which is now much cheaper than fossil fuels – as well as protecting forests and building climate resilience.
“We must step up the pace, together.”
How hot do you think it will get this year in the UK? Let us know in the comments.
On the August Bank Holiday weekend The Sealed Knot re-enactment society will be re-creating a battle from the English Civil War at The Great Tew Estate near Chipping Norton, only a few miles from Jeremy Clarkson’s famous Diddly Squat Farm.
The event will happen on Sunday, August 30 and Monday, August 31, and is titled: ‘A Battle for the Cotswolds’.
READ MORE: Former Christian Church in Oxfordshire town listed for £500,000 sale
More than 2,000 members of the society will be present with the day to include cannon fire, charging horses and a full battle re-enactment.
Attendees can spend the day exploring the living history encampment, taking part in activities and watching arena displays including the Grand Battle Finale, which will include hundreds of infantry, artillery and cavalry troops as the Parliament Army attempts to take the Royalist stronghold.
It will begin at 11am and close at 5pm, with tickets prices at £20 per family, £10 per individual and £5 concessions. Carers and children under 5 enter for free.
The tickets can be purchased in advance on The Sealed Knot website or on the day.
READ MORE: Historic Cotswolds home with natural swimming pool up for £1.95 million sale
There will be a coffee barista, tea and beer tent available on the site.
Near to Great Tew, a number of English Civil War battles were fought including Edgehill, Cropredy Bridge and Stow-on-the-Wold.
At the estate, before the war broke out, Lucius Cary, Viscount Falkland, gathered his Great Tew Circle, a group of thinkers and writers who were critical of authoritarianism and the religious dogmatism that was threatening to tear the country apart.
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