Bad Weather

IN THE EVENT OF A SCHOOL CLOSURE DUE TO BAD WEATHER, PARENTS WILL RECEIVE A TEXT ON THEIR MOBILE PHONES. PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE SCHOOL OFFICE HAVE A WORKING NUMBER FOR YOU.

 

Medway Anglican Schools Trust

 

Snow and Bad Weather Policy Pupils

 

In the event of disruption caused by heavy snow the prime concern of the trust and its schools must always be the safety of pupils and staff.

 

The decision to close the school will take account of the safety of all our pupils and staff, some of whom travel a great distance to school each day.  We will always endeavour to open the school in the event of bad weather, as long as it is safe to do so.

 

If the school is open in snow or bad weather the decision as to whether or not to send a pupil to school, however, must be at the discretion of the parent, taking into account factors such as local road conditions and the availability of child care.

 

The school appreciates that during bad weather children may arrive later than normal; parents should endeavour to contact the school to let them know they are on their way if likely to be delayed. The school recognises there will be isolated instances where families are cut off, even where the clear majority of children can get into school. In such instances parents should inform the school of the circumstances of this exceptional situation, as the school has a duty to clarify the circumstances of each case so as to be able to formally authorise the absence to the Local Authority.  Parents acting on the assumption that the school would be closed without gaining confirmation, or failing to inform the school of the circumstances that prevents the child coming into school risks their child being registered as an un-authorised absence.

 

In the event of bad weather, parents should check to see if the school is open before travelling to the site.  There are a number of ways to confirm whether the school is open or closed.

 

• Listen for list of school closures on the local radio
• Check the school website for up to date information
   

Please check the email address /mobile phone number attached to your primary contact account, as we may be able to update parents through school comms. 

If the school is closed, we will try and make a decision as early as possible, and will intend to re-open as soon as we can.

 

It may be that school will open slightly later than usual, to allow additional time to travel for both children and school staff. Again, late opening will be announced through the local radio, school comms and the school website.

 

If the school does open, but extreme weather develops during the day, we will aim to remain open until the end of the normal school day.  However, this is not always possible when roads are becoming treacherous.  In which case parents will be contacted via School Comms (and notices also posted on the school website) and asked to collect their children as soon as possible. Normal lessons may be curtailed and the remaining pupils assembled in groups under the supervision of authorised members of staff to await collection.

 

It may be necessary to ask all children to bring packed lunches if the kitchen staff are unable to reach school safely.