The end of snow days at school

RoseHipps · 24/01/2021 07:56

I think they still will be. It probably takes quite a lot of preparation for all the children to swap to online learning!

Clutterbugsmum · 24/01/2021 07:56

Yep.

My DC school had a gas leek before Christmas. I dropped them off at 8.15 had to pick them up at 9.10am. With in 30 minutes we had an Email telling us that all lesson from lesson 2 will be online.

My middle child was like "There will never be another snow day, the school set us work to do"

TheSpottedDog · 24/01/2021 07:58

My secondary school used to have frequent burst pipes in winter. I used to pray daily for them and once I got a little older, I used to just tell my mum school was closed due to a burst pipe even when it wasn’t - she never questioned it 😂

R2221 · 24/01/2021 07:59

“ The bliss of waking up and realising that school will be closed.”

THIS will be sorely missed! :(

KatherineJaneway · 24/01/2021 08:00

I loved snow days as a kid ❄

PottyRuddy · 24/01/2021 08:02

It is a shame. I used to love a school day.

But I have to admit they were getting pretty ridiculous before all this Covid stuff. A single snow flake on the ground had them shutting the gates at our school. I remember last time, I didn't bother getting the kids up as we'd had the text and by the time they woke up (about an hour later than normal) it was just wet outside, nothing on the ground at all. They were both really confused as to why they were off!

Wetdogloveshubert · 24/01/2021 08:02

And no snow days from office jobs either

To be fair, online lessons take an awful lot of planning if not already prepped, so surprise snow could still be a snow day

PottyRuddy · 24/01/2021 08:02

Snow day*!

peak2021 · 24/01/2021 08:11

Canadians would laugh or even do at how we fail to cope with a bit of snow. Normal life as much as possible in non-Covid times when there is a bit of snow I think is an important lesson for life. No employer wants team members who are off work for other than illness if at all possible, or those off for the smallest thing.

Whattodo121 · 24/01/2021 08:22

All our lessons/resources are put on google classroom even when we’re at school. We are never going to get snow days ever again!

trappedsincesundaymorn · 24/01/2021 08:24

@peak2021

Canadians would laugh or even do at how we fail to cope with a bit of snow. Normal life as much as possible in non-Covid times when there is a bit of snow I think is an important lesson for life. No employer wants team members who are off work for other than illness if at all possible, or those off for the smallest thing.

Canada is well prepared for snow each year we are not. Our local council has decided not to end gritters through rural communities this year to save money. I am supposed to be at work today, but can't get out of the village due to the snowfall overnight. I live next to the only road through the place and the only vehicle I've seen this morning is a 4x4 and even that struggled. No way am I attempting it with a mini.

autumnboys · 24/01/2021 08:24

I am pretty sure my primary would tell us to make sure we played in the snow and set work accordingly, if at all. They’re good like that.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 24/01/2021 08:28

The whole "other countries laugh at how we can't cope" thing is ridiculous. Other countries have snow as a given, they're used to it with snow tyres on vehicles etc. It's a rarity here!

I used to love sitting around the radio with my siblings waiting to hear if our school's name would be read out!

redcarbluecar · 24/01/2021 08:30

Ha ha, I’ve been thinking the same. I think we will look back on snow days with fond nostalgia before too long.

wigornian · 24/01/2021 08:34

YANBU

Our local school is well geared up for full virtual schooling and the ICT chap wrote an article titled No More Snow Days about it’s long term impact!

www.independentschoolsmagazine.co.uk/issues/2021-jan/index.html#p=4

rawlikesushi · 24/01/2021 08:35

I think a lot of schools wouldn't bother transferring their planning to a home learning format for one day, especially knowing that a significant percentage of parents would, quite rightly, encourage their kids to play in the snow in lieu of schoolwork.

SimonJT · 24/01/2021 08:37

@PottyRuddy

It is a shame. I used to love a school day.

But I have to admit they were getting pretty ridiculous before all this Covid stuff. A single snow flake on the ground had them shutting the gates at our school. I remember last time, I didn't bother getting the kids up as we'd had the text and by the time they woke up (about an hour later than normal) it was just wet outside, nothing on the ground at all. They were both really confused as to why they were off!

Closures are usually due to the LA cancelling school buses and taxis when its snows/a decent amount of snow is due.

VashtaNerada · 24/01/2021 08:42

I think snow days will still exist. In Autumn term our school closed for a day (won’t give the reason but along the lines of heating not working) and we didn’t set work. It takes time to plan remote lessons so you’d only teach remotely if snow shut the school for a good few days I think.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 24/01/2021 08:52

Back in December, we had unexpected snow. It didn't close our school, I the town centre. It did close a major road in the area. I ended up picking DC up at lunch, driving as far as I could (I was allowed past the first road block but not the second) then walking the final mile, up the steep hill in the falling snow.

I think rural kids might still get them, if their urban schools are open.

However, I'm hoping they might start allowing siblings to be kept off if one has an infectious illness like Scarlet Fever, chicken pox etc.

IMissFrance · 24/01/2021 08:53

@autumnboys

I am pretty sure my primary would tell us to make sure we played in the snow and set work accordingly, if at all. They’re good like that.

Same here thankfully. Even if it's not a snow day and it snows while the kids are in they generally down tools, get their wellies on and get outside.

The kids wouldn't be paying attention if it's snowing out anyway.

Our homeschool stuff being set now has a big focus on outdoor time and positive mental health - thank goodness.

Which they also have when in school - by the end of last term the kids were outside as much as they were in.

They're also consistently the highest scoring school in the area for KS1/2 results. So I hope it becomes a lot more common place that children get outside more and more aware of their feelings.

alphabetsoup1980 · 24/01/2021 08:54

I know!!!! 😣😣 😂I would be setting my children winter related activities to encourage them to go outside!!!! xx I would assume that id have my own young children at home so I wouldn't be remote teaching! !! Enjoy the snow!!!

whenwillthemadnessend · 24/01/2021 08:55

Sod it let them play in the snow. I'm down south and we hardly get snow so I would let them have at least half a day playing.

MarcelineMissouri · 24/01/2021 08:55

We talked about this at the school where I work! I think the general consensus was that work would be uploaded but they’d be happy to receive snowman pictures instead!

JohnBarron · 24/01/2021 08:56

Loved snow days. I lived rurally so I used to meet my friends and we would go sledging in the fields.

Parker231 · 24/01/2021 08:58

My Canadian in laws laugh at the UK’s reaction to snow. One flake of snow and U.K. schools close. In Canada you get up and go to school and work.