To tell the school I will not be bringing DS in tomorrow

[notalone]

We are in Yorkshire where the weather has been horrendous. DS's school was closed for most of last week due to the snow and opened for the first time today because "the roads are now clear". However for those without access to a car the school run is absolutely treacherous (spelling?) and all the people I saw on the way said the same thing - they would much rather have braved the knee high snow than the ice rink that is out there today. I have lost count of the amount of times DS fell over and despite wearing a pair similar to these, I still nearly went over numerous times www.amazon.co.uk/Petzl-Spiky-Plus-Anti-slip-Over-Shoe/dp/B000YBAWD0/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1291630029&sr=8-12

The temperature readers on cars were reading -13, the pavements are solid compact ice and crossing side roads is like risking life and limb. It usually takes 15 mins each way but in total took me an hour and 20 minutes today. When we finally got to school I spoke to the secretary and advised her I was not prepared to risk it again tomorrow if it is still the same, and then when I got home there was a message from the parent support worker who is going to call me back later. I am worried about what they may say but if they don't allow the children out to play in it at lunch time because of health and safety then how can they expect them to walk to school in it?
Please be gentle with me and don't flame me on this

Thanks MJin - he was desperate to stay off and the more he fell over the more he didn't want to go I but made him plod on and eventually we made it in. I don't want to risk it again tomorrow though unless we have a lift. Do you think I am risking a fine though for unauthorised absence?

I cant get over the amount of you whom were told off for being late in thsi weather..

Our Head was stood outside with a showel having tried to clear more of the drive again and a huge bucket of sand she was checkign we had got here ok and when I left about 10 past the time we would usually open she was still there welcoming other kids as they came in. most of the kids in this school live about 5 miles away and the road has not been claered or gritted head was clearly much more concerned about us having got there safely than on time

Rightly so

Sorry OP YANBU but I would suggest you let the school know if they can come up with a safe way of getting your son to school you are all ears

bubblerock, did you tell the welfare officer to fuck off?!?!

Well, minee won't be going tomorrow, I can tell you

Sent them to school this morning, then onto the park to walk dogs. Snow started as soon as I got there. Trying to do the (normally 15 minute) journey home took me 2 1/2 hours- total gridlock, and I really thought I was going to get stuck several times- horrible. Had to dump the car at the bottom of our street (even that involved an hour of digging to try to abandon it in a position that wouldn't block our single-track road) and trudge up the road with two dogs and ds (3) who was screaming because it was up to his thighs

While I was digging the car out, I got a phone call from the school to go and get the girls, so, once my dad gets back (whenever that will be) I will have to walk the few miles to the school and bring them home. I'm thinking I'll need the sledge, because the snow is soo deep I don't think they'll even be able to walk

If someone DARED to say to me that I'd just need to make a bit more effort, given the number of accidents and abandoned cars I've seen on the roads today, I'm afraid to say the mood I am in I would be tempted to smack them one

Yanbu last year ( and we didn't have as much snow as some places and it was no where neat as cold) I struggled in to the school which was a 2 mile walk each way, i was pregnant ( early thank god but still hd to stop to throw up on the way a few times!) with my fourth and had a 5 year old walking plus an 11 month old and a 3 year old in the double buggy to push. My three year old screamed the whole way every day because he hated the buggy but it was too cold and dangerous to walk my 11 month old screamed because she has circulation problems which mean that her hand and feet go blue/ black in the cold even with 2 pairs of gloves on.

I fell twisted my ankle and managed to tip the buggy into the road with my little ones in. There was no way i coukd have afforded a taxi and in any case it woukd have been impossible with the younger two as well.

Quite a few other people refused to go in for about 4 days - nothing came of it even though we were told it would and there were no unauthorised absences on her end of year report

Wow - some of you have had it much worse than me. Jooly - hope you make it ok today (where ARE you? Sounds awful) and Fernie - sounds like you had a nightmare last year. Was your ankle ok in the end?

I am getting a lift back to school today but if I wasn't I would be complaining about the criticism and lack of support I got from the "support" staff. I just don't need this extra stress, I am already seriously stressed by my dissertation without this too

Well I wouldn't be risking life and limb yanbu, and as someone has already said, your child would need to be a persistant truant for any action to be taken against you.

I would tell them if they wanted him in school so badly, they can come and pick him up and bring him home again!

Well my friend was able to wait so I popped back into school and spoke to the (lovely) school secretary who was great - very understanding and able to articulate the point of view of the school whilst still respecting my feelings on the issue. I explained that the support worker offered no support, only criticism, which was most unhelpful. Luckily I am able to get a lift tomorrow too but I explained that while I would do my utmost to get DS to school, I would not be risking everything to walk in conditions like I did this morning which I think she understood so hopefully, if I do have to do this as a last resort, things will be ok

can you cycle?

Its a good idea Cumbria but atm I don't own a bike and the cars are sliding all over so even if I did I would probably be too scared of a car sliding into me

can you speak to the head....get the official lowdown. failing that,LEA??

i would hate some support worker dictating to me also! i'd have some official info for her next time she calls

well, I finally made it back, with my neighbours 2 children in tow too! Was glad I walked/ trudged, as the cars I saw were going nowhere- one woman told me she had walked about 10 miles, that people were abandoning their cars and walking up the motorway!!! It's like The Day After Tomorrow here (west of Scotland) The sledge was a godsend for the kids. Thank God to be home, although DH is still stuck on the motorway, has been for 2hrs, don't think we'll see him till tomorrow morning!

the lovely men in the street are out shovelling snow for all they are worth, and a neighbour looked after ds while I went up to the school- lovely to see neighbours all rallying round! Have just poured myself a glass of Bailey's and will be going NOWHERE for the next few days!

Thanks Adversecamber!

Ilovetiffany - From speaking to the secretary the school are cracking down on absence because of the league tables . They received a "good" rating this year but only by the skin of their teeth because the absence levels let them down. Shame these are more important than child / parent safety hey. The "support" worker works in all the local schools and is only in ours once a week (as a pilot) but if she calls me again I am going to refuse to speak to her and will ask to speak to someone who works at the school instead. I guess the LEA would be better but I am hoping it won't come to this.

Jooly - wow - what a mission for you! How far did you have to walk in the end? The baileys in very well deserved!

Sorry - thats should have read Ofsted rating and not league tables

Well according to facebook (!) were suppose to be getting more snow on friday, this is my weather news btw.

It is so much pressure on us parents to get them into school, my DS is just 7 and sometimes he still gets exhausted from school but I daren't keep him off when he's feeling grotty incase I get into trouble. He absolutely loves school and would rather be there with his friends than home with me!!

It's a shame the schools are under so much pressure to ensure pupils attend - I know some kids are suffering due to negect but that should be easily identified by schools without penalising normal families that need to take a day off for sickness/weather/family things...

Am I the only one who thinks walking is safer than driving!
Not that I have a choice

I don't think either are safe StealthPolarBear when cars are skidding around there is no reason why they won't skid into you.

It's raining here today with no sign of ice :)

I agree Bubblerock - I can see why they have to address absence but it seems crazy to put this before safety in adverse circumstabces.

Stealth - I think both are dangerous atm. However, where I live once the roads are clear it is deemed safe. There seems to be no thought or consideration for the safety of those who have to walk on such treacherous surfaces.

Ds got a lift this morning so all good, but the first morning he can't I will keep him off. The temperatures are -6 today and according to a friends FB status, was -19 on the car reader at 5am

I would challenge them directly: ' So what you are saying then, is that it is perfectly safe for us to walk in these conditions, even though the Met Office has put out severe weather warnings?'