to wonder why if it's snowing but the schools ARE open, parents are not sending their children in?

[redskyatnight]

I suspect it is the same parents that moaned about lazy teachers not making the effort to get to school.

last Friday and again today it is snowing but school was/is open. About 10 children have come in out of a class of 30. Friend's son (at different school) reported that there were only 4 in his class on Friday!

Most (over 90%) of the children at DS's school live within a 10-15 minute walk and the paths are all absolutely fine to walk along (have just walked the mile and half to work via school and witnessed no icy patches) so I don't believe that not being able to get there is a genuine excuse.

The doubly annoying thing is that because so few children are in the teachers will decree it is a day of drawing snow pictures and watching DVDs rather that whatever it was they had planned.

Maybe it's because they are snowed in (like we are) and no buses running (like here) and therefore no way of getting in to the school?

Or maybe people are having a hard time like

here on this thread

that they don't feel it's sensible to take the risk.

Well, ds' school is open but, sadly, there were no trains running. I contemplated sending him off on foot but wasn't convinced about a. his clothing and b. his orienteering skills.

I am MOST impressed with his school, though. I think they've had to open because of the exams. So I guess the teachers must have been listening to the weather forecast and made some quite serious plans to get in.

Yup. They have my respect.

This happened last week at the school where I teach.

In a school of almost 200 children, we had 30 children in on Thursday and about 40 children in on Friday. Almost all the staff made it in even though many live a considerable distance away (over 20 miles). There are no children at school from out of catchment, so everyone is within walking distance. We also have a very low number of working parents.

most children in my children's school live out of catchment and travel by car.

School is open today, but may close as it has been snowing all morning.

So my children are still at home.

And I suspect it is the same parents that moaned about lazy teachers not making the effort to get to school.

Last Friday and again today it is snowing but school was/is open. About 10 children have come in out of a class of 30. Friend's son (at different school) reported that there were only 4 in his class on Friday!

Most (over 90%) of the children at DS's school live within a 10-15 minute walk and the paths are all absolutely fine to walk along (have just walked the mile and half to work via school and witnessed no icy patches) so I don't believe that not being able to get there is a genuine excuse.

The doubly annoying thing is that because so few children are in the teachers will decree it is a day of drawing snow pictures and watching DVDs rather that whatever it was they had planned.

I agree Lockets and am beginning to regret sending mine in. It was a nightmare pushing the pram this morning, it's now coming down even thicker and I have to go back at 11.45 and 3.10.

My DC's school is open, but only from 9:30 to 2pm. It's also significantly short of teachers so the amount of actual school work they'll be doing is minimal. I've made the decision not to send my DCs in as there seems little point.

That being said, I wasn't one who "moaned about lazy teachers not making the effort to get to school."

No I didn't moan either. I could totally understand why our school shut last week.

hmm, how did I manage that double posting? (sorry).

In my OP (either of them) I did accept that some people genuinely can't get in. But don't believe that is the case for most people at the schools round here.

My Ds (6) school was closed from Weds of last week. My DD(9)was closed Weds and Thurs.

I didn't send DD in on Friday as to be honest I didn't see the point for one day.

Both schools have been open all week thjis week, today we have had a fair bit of snow, and it's still falling.

Although only a small amount of teachers have been able to get to the schools they are open , my Ds school is closing at 2, my Dd's is open but we can collect them any time between now and 3.30.

After all the closures last week, this way seems the more sensible option.

So I will pick Ds up at 2 then DD afterwards.

Hello Lockets. Yes my arms are killing me!

...alternatively you could take an hour to get them in to be turned away at the door and be told - oh, we updated the web site 10 minutes ago (9.15am)

I find that buggy pushing is the only way I stay upright in this weather!

We only have a couple of inches here in N London, however I don't see the point of a half hour (at least) walk through snow and ice trying to hold onto DD and DS (ASD) and remain upright given they are in reception and nursery so won't miss much.

Instead they are happily painting at the kitchen table and we will go out to the park later.

Where I live all the paths are covered in thick ice.We got half way down the road this morning slipping and sliding everywhere I was gonna go home but DS1 wasn't having it so I took him in but kept DS2 (nursery) off.
I have a 2yr old to walk there too.

I don't think they are doing much atm anyway.DS1 said he watched Shrek yesterday .

My boys' school is on a hill... the roads are sheets of ice, as are the pavements. It's even more dangerous out there than when it was just snow.

I am heavily pregnant, and have managed to get my 2 to school, but it was the most stressful journey I have ever taken and I really wish I hadn't bothered, because now I am terrified of the walk out to pick them up.

I saw a lot of people turning back, and to be honest I wish I'd been one of them.

If it stays like this im bringing dd home at 12 with ds1.

This is odd...our school has been open the whole time, most people live right by it...

last week I took the Friday off as we had problems getting there. Went back on Monday as we could get there again.

It's snowing this morning once more, and I made a great effort to get in as not much is settling yet...but got there and there was ONE other child from ds's class

by the time I left, there were another 6 or so. Tres bizarre. Maybe they just assumed nobody else would turn up?

I only live about 10 minutes from dd1s school. However when there was heavy snow, it was difficult to get there.

Dd2 will not walk in the snow. Her buggy will not go in the snow. I gave up in the end. Luckily my grandad had kept our old sledge. So dd2 spent the next few days being towed around on the sledge.

Ice is fine. The buggy will go on the ice. It helps me stay upright and dd1 holds onto it. Its the snow that made life difficult this time.

Last time it snowed like this, I was heavily pg with dd2. Dd1 missed nursery. I didn't want to risk the walk on the ice.

I think YABU. There are many reasons why people don't like to go out in this weather.

Ds2's school was supposed to open late today (although is now closed) however, we live at the bottom of a really steep hill, which was lined with abandoned cars by half eight this morning. So we had already decided not to try and attempt to get him to school.