Prelims and bad weather?

[WickedGoodDoge]

I know I need to ask the school, but it’s Sunday so figured I could ask for general answers.

What happens with prelims if the weather is too bad for some children to get to school? Just looking at this week and it looks as though Tuesday might not be great weather. I’m hoping this is the usual case of snow forecast and then on the day there is one lone flake.

[Lidlfix]

We coped in snowmaggedon 2010, we'll cope again. Prelims are moveable feasts not like SQA exams. Where I teach we are in the midst - where I can walk to they start tomorrow. If your DC was sick they'd sit on return. School and LA Twitter feeds will be helpful.

Not ideal for candidates but we live in Scotland and prelims are in the winter. Just encourage DC to prepare regardless. Fingers x'd for your DC.

[Groovee]

The school will probably rearrange. If you miss them at our school they just let the pupil sit at a different time. It's not the SQA exams which would be a different matter x

[WickedGoodDoge]

Thank you! It turns out I misread his timetable and he actually doesn’t have any exams on Tuesday.

The forecast is actually looking rather worse now so DD may end up having a snow day too! Fortunately it is just Tuesday with snow predicted.

[prettybird]

At ds' school, they ended up having to split the prelims (can't remember why or even which subject) - some before Christmas (which is when they do their Prelims) and some after.

Extra work for the teachers though, as they have to set two different exams.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

I was thinking the same OP. Both mine don't have one until Wednesday but the warning remains in place until Wednesday lunchtime and I suppose it depends on how much (if anything) lies. My issue is that we don't live in the same place as the school (placing requests) so the vast majority may be able to get there and the prelim run as normal. I guess it would have to be whatever arrangements they make for pupils that are off sick. I hate driving in the snow and where school is is more likely to have snow than we are :(

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I've been thinking this too, trains are frequently cancelled here/roads closed so Dd would have no way of getting in.

[PaddysMarket]

My local high school have put a post on FB saying there will be a catchup day for prelims if any pupils cannot get in to school.

[WickedGoodDoge]

We’re the same Wax. We’re in West Lothian but DC go to school in Edinburgh. Most of the children will be fine getting to school, but I have to get them to/from the school bus which can be tricky (I also get nervous about the bus going from Kirknewton then along the A70 as it can be really bad, but tell myself they will be fine!). If the trains run we can walk to the station but they quite often don’t run at the slightest opportunity. At least we’re not one of the poor families commuting from the Borders!

[WaxOnFeckOff]

It's a pain Doge. Mine go out of catchment due to bullying issues. Nice and easy for the bullies to walk to and from school and easy for their parents too. I've been transporting mine for 5.5 years so far with all that entails. e.g. Running two cars, juggling work times, petrol, stress, they don't live near their friends etc etc. Next time I'm coming back as the parent of a bully. Much easier issue for me to sort out than them apparently, but then the apple doesn't fall far from the tree

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Mines out of catchment too, due to local school being shit.
Luckily we are round the corner from the station but that's no help if the trains don't run.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Mine have 2+ mile walk to station and then a mile at the other end. There is a bus but it only runs 4 times a day and none of those are at school going in times or kicking out times. DS1 occasionally gets it as he doesn't have a full timetable as he's 6th year. It can be anything up to 40 minutes late, sometimes doesn't show up at all and it drove past him one day too.

By public transport and walking and waiting etc it can take around an hour and a half to go one way. I can drive there and back in 30 minutes.

[WickedGoodDoge]

Well, I woke DD at 6 and had her get up because there was only a light dusting and clear skies. Half an hour later and it’s snowing heavily and supposed to last all day. I’ve sent her back to bed - not because it’s too bad just now but I’m a bit worried about her getting home if it continues. I’m justifying it to myself by saying she’s only in S1 and otherwise with perfect attendance, so the one day off won’t hurt.

[WickedGoodDoge]

And at 8:30 it’s still snowing heavily and really lying so I am feeling a bit more confident in my 6:30 AM executive decision.

I feel awfully sorry for the school bus driver- am assuming he’s still doing the route.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Apparently it's a nightmare up at DSs school (snowy/icy and cars abandoned everywhere - lots of BMWs) but they aren't there. Actually fine where I am so far - snow but not a lot....yet!

Both need to be in tomorrow (1 am and 1 pm) so we will wait and see.

Good luck to those sitting exams today.

[prettybird]

I presume you meant 11am and not 1am

[WickedGoodDoge]

Apparently there’s not a single flake in Edinburgh! Hopefully the bus driver will let the school know it’s quite different out here so they don’t think I was overly dramatic!

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Nope pb I wasn't very clear but I meant one boy in the am. 9am to be precise and one boy in the pm. 12.30ish I think :)

[Groovee]

It was snowing in Edinburgh as the school I was working in I had to abandon my car as the street was too steep for me to risk driving down to get to the school.

It was bad last night as it had melted then at 4pm started snowing and lay.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Dd got in this morning, luckily before all the trains were cancelled, they've been on and off all day so her journey home might be a pain.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

The snow hasn't been hugely bad, it's more the ice, and the trains are shit anyway.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

We had about 5 inches last night burrowed are better than they were yesterday. We've had a fair bit of melting too. It's been better than the forecast.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Burrowed = but roads.