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Original poster

If staff have no electric in homes, will that affect schools opening?

21 replies

doggyparrot · 26/01/2025 10:05

I know it sounds silly but I know a lot of staff from my children's school live miles away from the school, some will still be without electricity come Monday. I will need to get to work regardless but I'm wondering should I make arrangements for my kids just incase.

What would your thoughts be? Will staff be made come in or will it be a given that they won't make it?

OP posts:
ThatsNotMyTeen · 26/01/2025 10:06

Why wouldn’t they make it to work due to having no electricity?

MissRachelismycoparent · 26/01/2025 10:07

Other than not having electric to charge their electric cars to use them for the commute I can't see why it would be an issue.

JC03745 · 26/01/2025 10:07

I'm confused also why this would have any baring on them getting to work?
Unless they all have electric cars and can't charge them at home. Am I missing something? 😕

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General education
flapjackfairy · 26/01/2025 10:07

wouldn't they be better off at work?

SheilaFentiman · 26/01/2025 10:07

If my workplace had electric and my home didn’t, damn straight I would be in work 😀 but of course if they have an electrician coming, some may need to be home.

cheezncrackers · 26/01/2025 10:08

If I didn't have electricity at home I'd really want to go into work where there is heat and light and I could charge my phone and make a cup of tea!

Original poster
doggyparrot · 26/01/2025 10:08

ThatsNotMyTeen · 26/01/2025 10:06

Why wouldn’t they make it to work due to having no electricity?

I don't know, that's why I'm asking? I have no idea how much of an effort staff will make or will that impacted their children if the staff have children who are without power in their schools

OP posts:
Original poster
doggyparrot · 26/01/2025 10:10

I'm obviously hoping they make it in I'm
Just panicking about getting my 3 looked after if they close the school

OP posts:
TickingAlongNicely · 26/01/2025 10:10

No electricity might mean no hot water for baths/showers, no hot food over weekend, devices etc not charged, their own children not in school...

On the other hand they might be happy with an opportunity for a warm building and electricity!

lifeisafunnyoldgame · 26/01/2025 10:10

If I had no electric, I would still go to work.
If I was affected by storm damage and and stuff that needed to be dealt with, I would not be going to work.

JC03745 · 26/01/2025 10:11

Surely not every, single teacher lost power? If SOME were unable to come to work, wouldn't they have to combine classes and still be open?
Is there no whatsapp group, email notifications etc to alert you to a complete closure?

Growlybear83 · 26/01/2025 10:15

It would be different if the school had no electricity and wouldn't be able to open, but as others have said, I can't see any reason why staff wouldn't be able to get into work if they've got a power cut.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 26/01/2025 10:16

I’m a teacher. Having no power at home wouldn’t usually be a reason not to come to work, but obviously it would depend on the circumstances. If the power outages have been going on for several days then there could be difficulties with showering, washing clothes etc which could impact on somebody feeling able to go and work in their professional role. Similarly some teachers may have had to make arrangements to go and stay with friends/ family which may or may not be in commutable distances to the school. In my workplace it would probably be looked at on a case by case basis, but I imagine in most cases it wouldn’t stop us from being expected to go in and the head would try to find ways around any difficulties (eg: letting us use the school showers and washing machines).

Shinyandnew1 · 26/01/2025 10:20

If you haven't had electricity for 3/4 days so can't cook food/shower/wash clothes, then that would be a right pain. I'm sure we'd still be expected to be in school though! There are no showers or washing machines at my school like previous posters have written.

MustardGlass · 26/01/2025 10:20

Had a staff member not come in because his power was out and he couldn’t open his garage door. Could not fathom you can just open the doors after you pull/ push the emergency rope/lever.

MagpiePi · 26/01/2025 10:21

I would assume that unless you had heard directly that the school was closed then it will be open. If a number of staff don’t get in your children will still be looked after. They might not get the exact lessons that were planned, but they won’t just be put out on the street to fend for themselves.

Growlybear83 · 26/01/2025 10:24

MolkosTeenageAngst · 26/01/2025 10:16

I’m a teacher. Having no power at home wouldn’t usually be a reason not to come to work, but obviously it would depend on the circumstances. If the power outages have been going on for several days then there could be difficulties with showering, washing clothes etc which could impact on somebody feeling able to go and work in their professional role. Similarly some teachers may have had to make arrangements to go and stay with friends/ family which may or may not be in commutable distances to the school. In my workplace it would probably be looked at on a case by case basis, but I imagine in most cases it wouldn’t stop us from being expected to go in and the head would try to find ways around any difficulties (eg: letting us use the school showers and washing machines).

Edited

Surely most people would have enough clothes to be able to manage for a few days? And whilst I would hate it if I couldn't shower for three or four days and would feel horrible, it's still possible to get yourself clean enough to be passable for work in an emergency by washing in the sink.

Original poster
doggyparrot · 26/01/2025 10:39

This is good! I'm
Glad the consensus is that most people would head on to work. I work with a few people who use ANY excuse to take a day off.

I can relax a bit now!

OP posts:
MolkosTeenageAngst · 26/01/2025 10:39

Growlybear83 · 26/01/2025 10:24

Surely most people would have enough clothes to be able to manage for a few days? And whilst I would hate it if I couldn't shower for three or four days and would feel horrible, it's still possible to get yourself clean enough to be passable for work in an emergency by washing in the sink.

Show quote history

Yes, I agree in most cases this wouldn’t be an issue, which is why I said it would be a case by case basis and obviously depend on things like how strict the school are with dress code and the individual teachers circumstances. My school is very relaxed on dress code but my old school was very strict and I didn’t have extra smart work clothes, just enough to make it through the week. I was in EYFS so it was rare I could get a second day of wear out of anything, would probably be different in KS2 or secondary. A lot here is going to depend on the resilience of staff as well, I have absolutely worked with colleagues who are after any excuse for a day off and would absolutely stay at home over trying to wash their hair over the sink in freezing cold water and have worked with other colleagues who will literally walk 3 miles to work in the snow to be there for the kids who can make it. Some teachers might be looking for an excuse to stay off and others will be looking for solutions that mean they can get around issues, who knows which kind are in the OP’s kids schools.

Shezlong · 26/01/2025 10:44

I work in a school and we were without power (at home) after storm Darragh for 4 days. Couldn't wait to get into work for heat, light and a cup of tea! Took all our power banks and battery lights in to charge them up too. My DH has an electric car, he had t drive it to Tesco to charge it up enough for him to get to work.

ohtowinthelottery · 26/01/2025 10:45

If the electric and heating are on at school, why wouldn't they go in?
When we had no electricity for 4 days following a storm a few years ago, we carried on as normal as far as we could. Yes, we had to strip wash in Luke warm water and get ready by torch light but it never occurred to anyone not to go to work. In fact, at the time DS was doing evening shifts at a supermarket so loved the fact he'd got a light, warm environment whilst the rest of us huddled around the log burner by candlelight at home.

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