Why do so many schools close?

[Missbopeep]

Yes I know this comes up each time we have snow- but WHY?

I went to school in the 60s & 70s in the north and I don't remember 1 day when school was closed for snow. We had teachers who drove miles to get in, or classes were simply doubled up in the hall, library etc.

The only times school was closed was on the rare occasions the boiler broke down.

Are we more whimpish and just not up to travelling now or is it because too many families rely on cars to get their chldren to school - I used to walk a mile each way.

[Arisbottle]

Even if that primary school has to draw in local secondary staff.

[Mu51cal]

Lastsaloon - apologies for any personal dig, but when you say schools only close for number crunching reasons and for appearances - you are wrong! AND THEN to say we, as teachers/schools, don't close because of any concern for the safety of our kids is quite frankly just offensive! Do you believe that teachers lack any form of intelligence and are just trying to run schools like a business???

[LauriesFairyonthetreeeatsCake]

Dd's secondary school on a hill is shutting at 2 - it will be a nightmare for the buses to take children home.

Dh went to his school 20 miles away at 7 am before the snow and I do not expect him home - it will just be impossible. I am really pissed off at him - I went out to get coal at 9.30, in the 15 minutes I was gone the falling snow was starting to freeze and people are now sliding everywhere. I parked at the end of my road as it would have been dangerous to drive down.

He had no choice obviously to go in, the pupils all walk in. But he quite simply won't get home unless he walks (which he's rock hard enough to do )

[teaandbourbons]

I was under the impression that they had to close if it's likely that the emergency services would have trouble getting there in case of emergency.

[lastsaloonNelson]

JumpHerWho the only thing that bothers me about it is that they are having their fun snow day on full pay. Can't see anyone else proposing that to their boss,can you? "Awww,how do you mean I can't stay at home/leave the office early to play in the snow while you still pay me,so unfair......".
I don't see teaching as free childcare, I see it as a responsible,grown-up job in which you should lead by example. Learn to risk-assess,positive attitude is what I want to see in the ones that teach my children,not a wishy washy any excuse to get out of work one Again this represents certain teachers/people not ALL *

[Panzee]

It's not the teachers' decision though is it? So you can't blame them for any of it.

[TalkinPeace2]

Do not forget that from 1999 to 2008 we had a series of mild winters with little snow or frost, so people settled into habits of living and working and educating a fair distance from each other. That and car ownership rose.
So when the cold snap winters returned we were all caught out.

[DreamsTurnToGoldDust]

But lots of people end up having the day off last, not just teachers.

[cricketballs]

I did make it in to my school this morning, but my ds's special school closed and I had no other option than to go and collect him. The main snow started falling from about 8.30 and it took me an hour to get home (normal time 20 mins in heavy traffic).

Where I live we often get bad weather and we normally try to cope with it, however this event is severe and the roads are very dangerous. The school I work in has remained open although there are less than 1/2 the normal amount of students in as they travel a distance to attend the school and I am concerned as to their safety in trying to get home

I am sat on my email marking work that the students are completing at school/home so not a 'day off', whereas my dh is an electrician who has also come home early and is sat doing the crossword whilst watching 007 film channel!

[lastsaloonNelson]

If enough teachers decide they can't possibly make it in, it somewhat influences that decision though doesn't it...... Look I didn't say NO schools should close under any circumstances it just strikes me that schools seem to always be the FIRST ones to throw in the towel.
Decision making is in not to be underestimated terms also influenced by the fact that absence numbers are important in Offsted reports. I have this from the horses mouth (Headmaster who said it was a "regrettable fact"). Back to work now,keep warm,keep safe.

[Missbopeep]

I just think that sometimes it appear to be a domino effect- School A closes, so School B a mile along the road does even if the weather is no worse etc etc.

I live in a village where the school has sometimes closed even though a) most children live in the village and b) there are a number of supply teachers in the village who would be more than happy to have a day's pay for working if teachers could not get in.

I agree that schools in rural areas where children are bused in is a different matter. But I also think that too many schools are too quick to declare a Snow Day when they could possibly manage. And I am a former teacher.

[DreamsTurnToGoldDust]

The first to throw in the towel as opposed to businesses? Well, yes Im sure they are as they are dealing with children not adults. And, Im sorry but your HT is wrong, schools do not shut for Ofstead, thats just not true.

[DreamsTurnToGoldDust]

Gah, Ofsted, not stead.

[Hassled]

I think a lot depends on things like the school layout - can the children get from Room A to Room B without having to go outside, and can they ensure that the outside areas remain risk-free? The school still has a duty of care. The majority of schools can only afford a few caretaking hours a day, so it's not that they can have someone standing by ready to grit throughout the day.

And yes, teachers travelling - they have to maintain child:adult ratios.

[Floralnomad]

We've just had an email to say the school is going to close at 1.20 , its a secondary , I live less than 1 mile away , we have no snow , no snow is falling and its not even forecast to come in until later . What's that about ?

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Just had our email too. Staying open till 3 but can collect any time now if wanted. it must be bad, this school never closes but it's on top of a hill so it must be treacherous for the head to decide that.

[LillianGish]

Is it really the end of the world if they close for the day? I dropped ds off this morning and am now looking out of the window wondering how I'm going to collect him. We used to live in Berlin where we would have this sort of weather all winter, but Berlin is geared up for heavy snow - I had a four-wheel drive, regulation winter tyres (fitted in October in anticipation) the roads and pavements are cleared and life goes on. We don't do that here because it is still quite an infrequent event. Much better imo to shut the schools for a day rather than shelling out for all those precautionary measures which might not even be needed.

[EasyFromNowOn]

DS's school closed because by 8am we'd had a fair amount of snow falling onto already frozen roads and especially pavements. The pavements and streets around the school have been treacherous all week, I can only imagine what they were like this morning.

[Floralnomad]

I've nothing against them closing when there is snow ,but there isn't any !

[TalkinPeace2]

While hanging up laundry just now (an extra day to dry the school uniform after washing) I realised that our views of what schools did in the 1970's are HEAVILY distorted.

Back then there was no rolling news, no internet, a fair proportion of the population did not have landline phones, let alone mobiles.
Far fewer mothers went out to work and certainly did not do their errands by car.
So if a school did close, other schools around did not know, and the kids walked home again.
Nowadays, anybody in Norfolk can see how many schools in Hampshire are shut.

Also, back then, there was not weather radar and there were not the three day warnings of snow coming, so preparation was not an option.

[mumnosbest]

there used to be a system whereby if you couldnt get to your own school you went to teach at your local school. All well in theory but you'd be a glorified babysitter as you wouldnt know the kids or their needs. also it throws up no end of safeguarding issues.
The idea of doubling up or having them all in the hall is just hellish especially as I live 2 mins away and would be the sucker in charge!

[NotGoodNotBad]

Health and Safety can be affected - I don't mean things like kids slipping in the playground, but fire escape doors freezing shut (which happened at my kids' school).

[MoreBeta]

lastsaloonNelson - I agree with you. The teachers at Dss school definitley drove the decision to close mid morning. I was told the vast majority of teachers turned up but once it started snowing extremely lightly many of them who live out of town started voicing concerns about getting home.

It was the teachers that drove the decision at DSs school and I do have that 'from the horses mouth' as well.

It is not snowing now and what we have 2 inches of melting snow on well gritted roads but all lessons cancelled. Don't suppose I will be getting a fee refund or an extra day tacked on at the end of term though.

What if it snows for 2 weeks - will they cancel school every day? I do think there is a 'long weekend' effect here as well.