Weather warnings, schools, what's really going on?

[Dontlletmedownbruce]

Hi I'm just wondering if anyone can shed some light on why the country's reaction seems different this time to bad weather, particularly the schools. Is there a new Dept policy or a change in insurance?

For context where I live didn't get snow but we expected it potentially Sunday evening so DC school anticipated opening at 11 to give time for a risk assessment, fair enough. Many workplaces postponed opening until 9.30 or even 10. The school decided to open again at 11 on Tuesday and Wednesday. My work was business as usual as was DH, in fact he travelled a long distance by car Wednesday and all was fine. Where I live (beside the school) there was only light frost Tuesday and nothing at all not even ground frost Wednesday. It was like any other day. At this point DC1s secondary school decided it was too risky to open until 11 despite all other businesses operating as normal. One school bus company postponed collection for the day although all public buses ran as normal. My kids activity was cancelled Tuesday evening, but I had an adult class in the same area which ran as normal as the roads were dry and safe.

Today Thursday was the day when a severe weather warning was in place so understandably everywhere opened late to allow for thaw. However DCs primary school have now announced another 11am opening tomorrow despite normal weather but DC1 school and bus is operating normally. They are citing adverse weather conditions and freezing temperatures.

I appreciate there was a major weather event in parts of the country but not here, the coldest day temperature was 1° and coldest night -2. The schools are very local and no one is snowed in. I am not the only one bewildered, neighbours and other school parents are saying the same thing. We get this weather every winter for a couple of weeks and it's considered normal.

Please can someone fill me in on what is different now? Is this the new normal? Or possibly just a local issue with our schools?

My kids school(secondary if it makes a difference) were closed yesterday as most of the school buses wouldn't run. They should have closed today too imo but didn't. Dd text me from school to say that she was sitting there with her teeth chattering. She was wearing her uniform, a hoodie over the top and her jacket. It was - 2 where we are today. Their school is not fit for purpose, massive drafts and the heating barely works. They were supposed to get a new school years ago.

I do think some schools are too cautious but I suppose a lot depends on where most pupils are traveling from and where teachers are travelling from. My kids school has teachers travelling from the next county, it must take them about 1.5hrs to get there each morning. The catchment for the school is also huge with it being a gaelcholáiste students travel quite far to get there. We are nearly 30kms away from their school. In your case it does just sound like they are being over cautious, if many parents feel that way maybe raise it with the school?

Thanks, yeah I wanted to see if I was missing something before I raised it. I know some people are complaining now. I can't see how more than 1 or two staff could be affected. The catchment area is tiny. It's a small school in a large housing development and most kids walk or else they are from more isolated houses no more than around 2km away. I genuinely think not one child is in difficulty.

Maybe some of the staff are affected by the weather and they’re taking this into account? Staff can often live some distance away. If the school is small even two teachers missing or delayed would cause problems. Just a possibility.

And yet most of us not being teachers are expected to show on time at work.

We’ve been working from home all week here (not teachers). Appreciate it depends on the sort of work you do and we’re very lucky to have that option. It’s not fair to ask people to risk their safety unless it’s essential though imho. Schools have been closed all week where I am for that reason. Appreciate it’s different where OP is, but it’s absolutely fine just 20 miles from here too, so it’s very possible that some of the teachers are in difficulty. It’s seems more likely to be something like that than the school is having delayed openings for absolutely no reason I think?

I think you'd need to ask the school. We are in Dublin and I haven't heard of any school closures. Our school has only closed during red weather warnings.

Some teachers travelling from other counties didn't make it and the kids were spilt up and sent to other classes.

The only problem is that the heating system doesn't live up to the weather. My youngest DD was frozen coming out yesterday so I sent her off with thermals and a hot water bottle today.