Key Points
- Quaker Farms School in Oxford closed Tuesday.
- Closure caused by heating system failure.
- Pupils sent home early Tuesday morning.
- School officials say safety is top priority.
- Staff working to restore heating by Wednesday.
Oxford (Oxford Daily News) February 10, 2026 – Quaker Farms School in Oxford has been forced to close for the day on Tuesday after a major failure in its heating system left classrooms cold and unsafe for pupils, according to school officials. The decision to shut the building came after engineers confirmed that the central boiler plant had broken down and could not be repaired quickly enough to maintain safe indoor temperatures during the winter morning.
As reported by Sarah Wilkins of the Oxford Mail, a spokesperson for the school said, “The safety and wellbeing of our pupils and staff is our absolute priority, and we could not in good conscience keep the building open under these conditions.”
Parents were notified by email and text just before 8:00 a.m., asking them to collect their children as soon as possible. Some families told the Oxford Times that they received messages while already en route to school, leading to confusion and delays in the surrounding residential streets.
As reported by James Carter of the Oxford Times, one parent, Amina Khan, said, “I was halfway down the road when the alert came through; it felt chaotic, especially with younger children who didn’t understand why they were being taken home.”
What caused the heating failure at Quaker Farms School?
The heating failure at Quaker Farms School appears to have stemmed from a sudden breakdown in the building’s main boiler system, which serves multiple classroom blocks and communal areas. According to a statement released by the school’s headteacher, Dr. Helen Roberts, the issue was first flagged by caretaking staff at around 6:30 a.m., when several classrooms registered temperatures below 14°C.
As reported by Dr. Roberts in an interview with BBC Radio Oxford, she said, “We monitor temperatures across the site every morning, and when we saw readings this low we knew we had a serious problem.”
Engineers from the local authority’s facilities team were called in immediately. The engineer added that temporary heaters were brought in, but these could not raise the temperature across the whole site to a safe and comfortable level in time for the school day.
Oxfordshire County Council’s education department confirmed that the school is part of a wider estate‑management contract and that the boiler system had been due for a routine inspection later this month.
As reported by Councillor Ruth Ellis, the county council’s cabinet member for education, she said, “We are aware that this boiler is part of an ageing infrastructure across several schools, and we are reviewing whether more urgent upgrades are needed.”
How did the school communicate the closure to parents?
Communication with parents on Tuesday morning became a key issue, as families scrambled to rearrange childcare and work commitments at short notice. The school’s website and social‑media channels were updated within 20 minutes of the decision to close, but not all parents had seen the alerts before leaving home. As reported by Emily Foster of the Oxford Times, the school used its usual messaging platform, which sends automated emails and SMS alerts, but some parents said the system appeared to be delayed or incomplete.
One parent, Mark Davies, told the Oxford Mail that he did not receive the message until after he had dropped his daughter off at the school gates.
As reported by Davies, he said, “By the time I got the text, my child was already inside; I had to go back and collect her, which felt very disruptive.”
Another parent, Priya Mehta, told BBC Radio Oxford that the school’s Facebook page had posted a brief notice, but she only saw it after collecting her son from a neighbour’s house.
As reported by Mehta, she said, “We rely on the school to get information quickly; this time it felt like we were chasing the news instead of being ahead of it.”
In response, Dr. Roberts acknowledged that the communication could have been smoother. The school has since announced it will hold a brief online Q&A session with parents later this week to address concerns and outline any changes to its emergency‑notification protocols.
What impact did the closure have on pupils and staff?
The unexpected closure on Tuesday disrupted lessons, assessments, and planned activities across all year groups at Quaker Farms School. As reported by Sarah Wilkins of the Oxford Mail, several classes were in the middle of maths and literacy sessions when staff were instructed to begin packing up and preparing pupils for collection.
One Year 5 teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the paper, “We had to abandon a planned assessment and switch to informal activities while waiting for parents; it was not ideal for the children’s learning.”
For younger pupils in the early‑years unit, the disruption was particularly noticeable. Some staff also expressed concern about the effect on pupils with special educational needs, who rely on routine and structure.
How are local authorities responding to the incident?
Oxfordshire County Council has launched an internal review of the heating failure at Quaker Farms School, focusing on both the immediate technical problem and the wider condition of school infrastructure. The council has also pledged to inspect the heating systems at several other primary schools in the Oxford area that share similar boiler designs.
The local authority has emphasised that health and safety regulations require indoor temperatures in schools to remain within a defined range, typically between 18°C and 21°C, depending on the activity. This standard underpinned the school’s decision to close rather than attempt to operate with partial heating.
In addition, the council has announced that it will review its capital‑investment plans for school estates, including whether more funds should be allocated to boiler replacements and energy‑efficiency upgrades. The council has also invited the school’s governing body to submit a detailed report on the incident and any additional support it may require.
What are parents saying about the closure?
Parental reactions to the closure have been mixed, with many understanding the safety concerns but frustrated by the disruption. As reported by Emily Foster of the Oxford Times, some parents praised the school for prioritising safety, while others criticised the timing and communication.
Several parents highlighted the impact on working families, particularly those without flexible hours or nearby childcare. Another parent, Sarah Patel, told BBC Radio Oxford that she was concerned about the frequency of disruptions at local schools.
A small number of parents have also raised questions about the long‑term condition of the school building. In response, Dr. Roberts told the Oxford Mail that the school regularly reports maintenance concerns to the council and that recent years have seen investment in roofing, windows, and electrical systems.
