Information will be updated here in the event of a school closure due to adverse weather.

Snow and Ice

• OpenCheck

In the event of severe weather conditions, we have to consider key issues when making judgements about school closure. Closing the school is the very last option for us:

• We know that for working parents, when the school has to close, this presents problems with regard to childcare, so the decision will not be taken lightly.

• We have to weigh up many different risks regarding travelling to school, site safety and pupil supervision on site. Maintaining the level of learning is extremely important, but we have to balance that against the risks to our pupils and staff.

• We will liaise closely with our local transport companies and senior staff in neighbouring schools. We will monitor local weather reports and liaise with our staff members in outlying areas to assess the travel conditions that might be affecting those who come to school by car and bus.

• We will assess if we have sufficient numbers of staff on site to allow us to effectively supervise over 600 pupils.

To keep you informed:

• We will send an MCAS message to all parents and staff if we are unable to open and will do this as soon (by 7:30am or 2:30pm depending on the situation) as we can make a reasonable assessment of the conditions. 

• We will contact families via MCAS message, email and the school website.  We will also update LGfL Opencheck.

• If the school remains open during bad weather, as a parent you can make the decision about whether you feel it is safe for your child to travel to school.  If you feel it is unsafe for you to travel to school from where you live, please keep your child at home.  If your children’s absence is specifically due to travel problems caused by the bad weather, we can record this absence appropriately. 

• For ease of communication, we will use the colour coding system below: 

School remaining open during adverse weather conditions

All normal gates will be open. Our site team will have gritted the paths and emergency exit routes as part of their opening check routine. 

Children may wear wellington boots/walking shoes to school, but please ensure they have their school shoes in their bags to change into when at school.

The school leadership team will continue to monitor the temperature and that the children have access to warm indoor spaces for break and lunchtimes. PE sessions will be moved indoors.

School closure during the school day

Parents will be notified via MCAS or the school website. We will also update LGfL Opencheck. If parents are unable to collect their children early for any reason, we will ensure those pupils are kept in until the normal end of the school day.

Extreme heat

Sometimes the temperature during the school day will increase to a notifiable level.  If this occurs, the school will take the following actions, but we will not close the school because of this type of weather condition:

• If there is a projected weather warning, children will be asked to come to school wearing sun hats, sun cream and with lots of water to drink during the day.

• School uniform regulations may be relaxed to allow pupils to feel more comfortable in the heat. 

• The school will ensure the children are hydrated during the day by giving frequent hydration breaks.

• Playtimes and break times, we will reduce to the minimum time outdoors

• If sports days occur during these times, which they are very often, sports days will be planned for the morning session when it is cooler and aim to be over by midday.

• The staff will keep the school ventilated by leaving windows open early in the morning and closing them (leaving only a small gap) when the temperature outside becomes higher than inside.