To break the record, 502 schools measured the temperature in their playground at midday Australian Eastern Standard Time last Wednesday and submitted the readings, via email, to The Weather Channel.

The results were broadcast as part of The Big Report at 6pm on the same night.

It was 19 degrees in Dungog at 12 noon.

The Weather Channel trounced the previous record held by the BBC, in the UK, who had 261 schools submit the temperature.

“We’re absolutely over the moon that we’ve managed to beat the record and thrilled that so many schools participated,” says Dick Whitaker, senior meteorologist for The Weather Channel who travelled to Stanwell State School near Rockhampton in Queensland for the event.

“We’ve been amazed by the diversity of the schools who have signed up to participate,” he said.

“From home schools to special needs schools, foreign language schools to one-teacher schools, it’s literally been an aspect of National Science Week that every sort of school can, and has, participated in.

“It’s been wonderful to be involved in a project where country kids, indigenous kids and inner city kids have all been united in one common goal.”

The Dungog Chronicle received the information about the record attempt and forwarded onto a number of local primary schools, with Dungog coming on board for the attempt.

The record attempt was conducted by a number of year 3 and 4 students in the environmental group organised by teachers Gaye Flynn and Cheryl Wright.

Student James Overton said the students are learning about being kind to the environment.

“We rake up leaves and put them in the compost bin and we also have a worm farm,” he said.

“We have special bins we used for recycling and the green bins are for food scraps which we put in the compost bin.

“It was good to help break the record too.”