Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School Closure

61 replies

Dexterrocks · 30/11/2010 21:42

Am I being unreasonable to be annoyed that my dcs school plans to open tomorrow when every other school in our area is shut?
The school was closed on Thursday due to heavy snow.

The snow worsened overnight and into Friday morning but the school remained open, only to shut at 10am. This caused absolute chaos as children were put on buses and were going to be sent home when their parents were not at home to receive them. Other parents were already at work and had to drive home in treacherous conditions to collect their children.
The snow has continued for the following 4 days and is now above my knees.
The school was shut on Monday and Tuesday and the weather has only continued to get worse.
We walked to the shop, near the school, today for milk and the pavements were impassable. I had to walk on the road with a 6 year old, diving into huge banks of snow higher than his head, every time a car came along.
I realised too late that I had been foolish to take a child that age into those conditions. It is one thing sledging in a snowy field - it is quite another negotiating the road networks.
Surely the roads will only be busier before 9am tomorrow?
Am I being silly or does this strike everyone else as a rather rash decision?

OP posts:
mumbar · 30/11/2010 21:48

My HT has sworn he will not shut the school - end of Grin.

I guess that at some point a decision has to be made to carry on with everyday life. The weather is forecast to continue for a week or so.

YANBU to think theres dangers involved, and I'm a little Envy that here its just dusting and won't blardy lay. Grin

backwardpossom · 30/11/2010 21:48

Schools can't win. Parents moan if you close because the babysitters teachers can't make it in, then other parents moan if you stay open.

Wink

However, reading your post, YANBU.

cardibach · 30/11/2010 21:49

Schools get so much criticism for closing they are understandably doing all they can to stay open. If it is not safe to take your child, then don't.

YABU in the current climate of attacks on schools, but I see your point!

nancy75 · 30/11/2010 21:55

if its dangerous don't go. even if the school is closed it gets marked down as a days abscence, so it makes no difference in that respect

Dansmommy · 30/11/2010 21:58

Nancy: 'even if the school is closed it gets marked down as a days abscence'. No it doesn't.

onimolap · 30/11/2010 22:04

If it's dangerous for you to go, then don't.

I agree with cardibach that schools are often damned if they do adn damned if they don't.

But I think sending children home in the middle of the day when there may be no parent able to meet them is not satisfactory, and schools should make every effort to keep children until the end of the school day (or at least lunch time) so parents get a bit more of a chance to rearrange their day.

The families of emergency services workers (who may be rather busy themselves on snowdays) are probably more inconvenienced by having to deal with an early closing school than by a complete closure (voice of experience).

PaisleyLeaf · 30/11/2010 22:07

The school is open but it's your call whether the journey is safe for you.

curlymama · 30/11/2010 22:11

Our school tries it's best to stay open, only closes if the local council says they have to, and leaves it up to the parents to decide if they can safely get their children in or not. Some children live so close to the school that they could get in no problem, others can't. When I've rung to keep my dc's off they completely understand.

If you don't feel safe taking them in, then don't.

snowplough · 30/11/2010 22:14

Because it's open doesn't mean you have to go.Each parent must decide whether it's safe or not.

Joolyjoolyjoo · 30/11/2010 22:15

Our school was closed this afternoon and we were phoned to come and get the children. Luckily I wasn't working today, so could go straight up and get them.

the HT has said that the school will be open tomorrow unless we hear otherwise on the local radio. She gave the impression that she isn't allowed to tell us that the school will be closed until then, but she did say that even if the school is open we can bring the children or not "at our discretion"

I took that to mean we should probably keep the kids at home! Luckily I have my dad next door, so he will take the kids, as I am supposed to be working tomorrow morning (if I can get there!) Will be hard enough getting to work without having to do drop-offs, and more of a pain to be called to collect them again once I eventually get to work, so my discretion has decided to keep them home!

offtothegym · 30/11/2010 22:29

What I hate about this is the double standards. Our school closes when it considers the situation is bad. Yet if they decide to open but parents don't think it safe but they live within walking distance it goes down as unauthorised.

jollydiane · 30/11/2010 22:38

I know schools cannot win BUT I do think every effort should be made to keep the schools open. This could go on for weeks.

UnquietDad · 30/11/2010 22:40

Schools stay open if they can. Each head takes the decision based on how many staff they have in for it to be safe.

Often, staff are travelling from the other side of the town/city/borough. (Makes sense - who want to live where they teach?? I wouldn't.) If they can't get in, there are heath and safety criteria which are not being met and - rest assured - SOME busybody would moan.

DW's school (where she teaches) closed today. She turned round and came home when she got the text.

Of course, teachers are meant to walk to their nearest school and "offer their services."

We thought about this for 5 seconds and then laughed solidly for about 5 minutes.

backwardpossom · 30/11/2010 22:40

I don't think schools are closed on a whim because the teachers can't be arsed to come in, jollydiane...

kat2504 · 30/11/2010 22:47

I wish they were, I really couldn't be arsed this morning but since snowfall here was pathetic, school open as normal, despite local roads being like a skating rink. Think it is right for school to be open though, it is just normal winter weather,not extreme snow. Winter is expected to come around once a year after all!
Going to nearest school is ludicrous. They have no way of checking that you are who you say you are and no way of quickly verifying that you are CRB checked. Therefore child safeguarding would be compromised. Anyone could rock up at a school saying they are a snowed-in teacher!
Earlier on this year when we had two days off for snow in January it wasn't that we couldn't be arsed, but that it took the two days for the caretaker to make the school accessible. Also if the council decide not to run school buses, it makes it a bit pointless for the teachers to trek in regardless!

Lonnie · 30/11/2010 23:39

Dont go in if you feel it is unsafe. I didnt twice earlier in the year (January) When I felt it wasnt safe for our children to go in. They were not marked as absenses

muminthecity · 30/11/2010 23:49

DD went to school this morning as usual, when I collected her 20 minutes before usual pick up time she was really upset as there had only been 5 children in her class today and they had all been picked up over an hour early Sad. I wish I'd known as I would've collected her earlier.

I am keeping her off tomorrow whether school is open or not as the snow has been falling non-stop all day and the walk to school just won't be safe.

offtothegym · 01/12/2010 08:31

My dh overheard one of our classroom assistants say I hope snow carries on so we can have a day off. She lives 5 minutes from school.

LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake · 01/12/2010 08:34

They're not allowed to go to the nearest school - if they were we'd be praying for snow as DH could walk round the corner to the school he very narrowly missed getting a job and just start teaching Grin

He would love it.

Hulababy · 01/12/2010 08:34

School I work at (Sheffield) never closes normally, neither does DD's school - both are closed today.

There has been a lot of snow.

Even if my school hadn't closed I had made the safe decision to not go in and to keep me and DD at home.

My DH has decided to walk to work Hmm - if it continues like this he won't be getting home tonight Hmm

Hulababy · 01/12/2010 08:36

Unquietdad - they aren't accepted to do that yet. The LEA says no. It has been mooted though as something as a possibility for the future, but not agreed as yet. Until they do, shcools won't accept local teachers - I guess because of the checks that would be required.

Goblinchild · 01/12/2010 08:38

UQD, I thought you needed an individual CRB check for every place you work, volunteer or whatever.
Back in the old days, we did report to the nearest school.

borderslass · 01/12/2010 08:39

here teachers are expected to go to nearest school DD2'S school is open for S4-S6 she's S4 but ain't going in but cant get through to bloody school lines jammed.

seeker · 01/12/2010 08:40

"parents don't think it safe but they live within walking distance it goes down as unauthorised."

How could walking be unsafe? Wolves? Massive crevasses opening over unfathomable icy oceans?

Hulababy · 01/12/2010 08:42

seeker - do you not remember the one day last year when walking was most definitely unsafe. The snow was going but the black ice was horrendous. People wre falling over all the time, cars were sliding onto and very close to pavements. It was all over the news and showed people on their hands and knees trying to get across roads, etc.

Swipe left for the next trending thread