EMERGENCY closures have been declared for four schools in Essex in response to the national heatwave, with temperatures set to approach 40c later on today.

The Bishops' Church of England and Roman Catholic School in Chelmsford is closed all day today, as are Shenfield High School in Brentwood and Kingsmoor Academy in Harlow.

Powers Hall Academy, in Witham, will be partially closing, with all pupils and staff set to be sent home at 1pm this afternoon.

According to the Essex County Council website, the closure type is listed as “Emergency” due to weather conditions.

Although no schools in Colchester are listed as declaring an emergency closure, some are relaxing their school uniform policies and will allow pupils to wear their PE kit into school because of the searing heat.

Plume Academy, in Maldon, closed at 1.20pm yesterday and will do so again today.

The last day of term for state schools in Essex is Thursday, July 21, with pupils due to return to school for the start of next term on Thursday, September 1.