Mumsnet Talk

Our head doesn't like to close (fair enough) so staff are
expected to be in as normal unless he has a change of heart in the morning. All the other local schools are shut. 2 of us live in the same village so we are travelling in together at 7am as we think it could take a long time to get there, even though we've been told by colleagues in the place where we work that roads are dreadful!

So the DC will also be in, although would rather not put them in the car if we could avoid!

It has snowed continually throughout the day and there are no signs of it stoping any time soon. AIBU To want the head to decide tonight rather than wait till 7am?

Stopping*

YANBU - we haven't been told yet either and it would make life much easier to know tonight. Realistically we've had tons of snow and the temperature isn't set to top zero until much later in the week so there's no way it'll thaw just yet. Of course they avoid closing and want any decision to be viewed as one based on conditions in the morning but there's no way it is going to be any safer in 12 hours time.

Our Head has said there'll be a text before 07:00 if the school is going to be closed.
It seems sensible to me.

Heads get 'slammed' if they do or don't! I do understand what you mean - am a teacher, too - but they seem to get flack from all sides whatever decision they make!

YANBU!

I have three schools to deal with, two have text us their decision already, one probably won't let us know of closure or late registration until we are half way there tomorrow, going in past experience. She was also the one to make the (by far) latest decision to close on Friday when the snow got really heavy during the day.

I feel your pain.

We had the call this evening. Ds goes to a special school so minibuses collect from homes and it's just not safe for them on gritted side roads.

The deputy head did make sure to say they were "closed for pupils" so I guess staff have to try to get in.

I have one open and one 'don't know'. YANBU bu the school will be accused of BU whatever they choose.

We also have 3 schools, one has already said shut. One 6.30am for news and the other will probably not decide to last minute.

I have 2 children school has not decided, they will let the parents know by 8am ( open at 8:30)

YANBU. I was just thinking exactly the same about DD's school. They'll let us know in the morning but it would be a lot easier if we knew tonight.

I dont think it is unreasonable to want to know now. In 12 hours there is not going to be a miracle thaw, and safety alone should say that you need to know in plenty of time.

What if you attempt the journey and can't get in? The school will have to close anyway!

Our senior school sent a text on Friday "Due to severe weather..........the school will close at 1:20. If this causes problems with transport or childcare, please contact the school".

Time the message was sent? 2pm.

DDs has sent a text already to say that they are (unusually for them) closing tomorrow.

DS' has a notice on their web saying that they will decide in the morning depending on whether the school buses will be running.

I am worried that nursery will be shut (very rural) but my school never shuts unless all the others are. Was off last week due to a virus so need to be in tomorrow.

Our friend is a DCI and he said that the police have the same problem as most teachers and police try to live away from where they work to avoid encountering pupils/crims away from work. In the last big snow we had he worked in our local town for a couple of days but you cant really do that with teachers I suppose, although logically, I dont see why not!

Three schools here too; the DCs' school is shut (but no-one, including the staff, know why - it's a single storey site, most children and many staff walk, the heating has been on all weekend so it won't be freezing ), DH's school is opening late (it's a secondary) and mine (primary) will be open if enough staff can get in - decision to be made at 7am and is largely dependent upon the London transport network functioning from North to South and from Kent to London Bridge.

I prefer to know early as it gives us longer to sort childcare but I am suspicious as to the closure of the DCs' school being to preserve attendance figures rather than anything else.

i do wish that once the decision has been made to open that they would post that on the website too.

At the moment it seems as though the only two local schools to have not yet made their decision about tomorrow are the two schools that my DCs attend. YANBU. 7am is too late.

I now have two 'open' but to check the website in the morning just in case.

Bogeyface - I think a similar proposal was made a while ago for teachers to turn up at their nearest school and teach but it was dropped. It would be a bureaucratic nightmare!

What the schools dont appreciate (and never have if the notice given for plays/trips/assemblies is anything to go by) is that we dont all stay at home all day waiting with bated breath for our little darlings to finish school. We have jobs, caring duties, appointments, responsibilities. Far easier to be able to sort childcare at 7pm on a Sunday night than at 7am on a Monday morning!

Quite Bogeyface
And not everyone has family or friends who can step in at a moment's notice!

Last time it snowed, our previous head decided overnight to close - and was slated by parents because the snow stopped and they thought it should have been open - what are they supposed to do?

We've just sent a text to parents saying the school will be open tomorrow 'barring significant snowfall overnight' but that may have to be reversed if it snows tomorrow - on Friday it didn't start snowing here till 8am. Then of course the head will get it in the neck for changing his mind.

Oh, and it would also help if parents actually made sure their contact details were up to date if snow is forecast.....

Bogeyface - I'm sure the school sent the text way before 1.20, but many of the school text services were overwhelmed on Friday and didn't get the texts out in time.

YANBU, it's much easier to decide tonight.
3 local schools have already said that they are shut tomorrow but no word from any of the 3 schools that I need to know about.

Exactly. And throw into the mix unsympathetic employers and it can be awful. I was once threatened with the sack by my boss if I didnt go in when my 4 month old DD's nursery was closed and my 6 year old DS's school was closed. I said I could go in but I would have to bring the kid with me. The irony? She was ringing me from her palatial country pad because she couldnt get in but because I lived in the same town I was told I had no excuse!