Happy chickens! Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 My kids now off for third day even though roads now clear, School has set some work online, but I really can't understand why school closed. we had about 3 inches of snow tues and has been icy, but as roads ok, seems ridiculous. i grew up in yorkshire and snowed plenty, but onlt time school closed was when the roof leaked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 mine is shut, but ours come in on buses from the middle of nowhere (honest!!) so if the bus company doesnt think its safe, the students cant get into school. been off since Tuesday (4 extra days holiday ) cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Years 11, 12 and 13 had to go in to day (there are GCSEs and A levels next week)...so that was both of mine :D We had maybe at the most 2 inches of snow on tuesday...nothing since then...the main roads are all clear as are quite a few of the regularly used side roads. The road and path leading into the school on the other hand was an ice rink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 School & college shut here,but both are on narrow steep hills & the roads are impassable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 My school (which is in a town), is open today: from 10 a.m. onwards, for those who can make it in. Our bus and taxi children are not in, as they are not running transport from teh villages. I couldn't get in and neither could two other members of staff who live in rural areas, so my class will be split up and shared around the other staff who could get through, for which I feel terribly guilty. It simply depends on circumstances. For example, can the canteen operate? are the playground and pathways safe? etc. In this day of risk assessment gone mad, often schools stay shut as it is simpler to do so! There are many parents who see this as a once in a lifetime opportunity for their young children, who will remember not having to go to school and being able to play in the snow, for the rest of their lives! It never happened to me! My secretary tells me about 2/3 of the children have made it in today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miffy Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 over 200 schools closed here. School buses not running either earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Little Miss Webmuppets school vary rarely closes due to the weather as most of the teachers live locally and walk to school and the catchment area is so small that all the kids are within walking distance ( LMW teacher only gets one day a week off from LMW as her teacher is the Sunday school teacher as well!) This is only the second day it has shut in the last few years ( the other day was just before Christmas). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 some are openning to day around here, I'm worried now about DS A levels next week, we were planning to go on holiday in June & now dont know if he will be able to come with ou if his exams are delayed 6 months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 My 3 all go to the same school but only the year 11 is in today. They were all off since Wednesday. The school buses refuse to run plus the school site is covered in ice which would be a legal nightmare so I can understand why they cant open. They children at home have been set a days work and my 2 are quite enjoying it. YS is in bed doing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Mines been shut for the past 3 days and if it snows anymore at the weekend we'll be off monday as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 College has been shut since Wednesday so I've been revising from home. The main roads aren't bad now but none of the school buses are running, as it's a filter college loads of students can't come in. Plus the pavements down there are very icy and slippy. I'm just wondering what they're going to do about the modules if people can't get to do them. It might mean I have to take them in June, which I don't want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 DS's High School and DD's primary both closed since Tuesday. Teachers and parents have been into primary today to clear the paths - so I think some of it is also down to the safety of the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted January 8, 2010 Author Share Posted January 8, 2010 Yes kids and icy paths not good mix.. weird thing here is primaries open buy not high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I think it is Aunty Health and Safety at work in this nanny state of ours. Schools don't want the public liability issues of broken arms etc. My kids go to an independent school which was closed for one day as they had no grit (liability) but once they had grit, they were open again , but telling the kids to come in warm clothing and walking boots rather than uniform. My son is due to take an AS level next Tuesday and his scholl will be open, but if others are closed, does that mean that the exam boards will cancel all exams anyway, as kids who take it now could give the questions to those taking in the summer, or do you think they will have a different exam in the summer? It has not been clear in the media. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 There's not many Birmingham schools closed today ***linky*** although I am puzzled by those quoting health and safety due to ice and snow, the children who would be safe and sound in school are roaming the snowy, icy streets. However, I found this and thought it was funny; Washwood Heath Technology College, Birmingham - Closed to all pupils EXCEPT for Mr Mohammed's Year 11 Maths group who are due in at 10.00 am. How gutted would you be if you were in Mr Mohammed's maths group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I wonder if Mr Mohammed's maths group have an exam coming up? I would be horrified if that was me cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 My ED was back today from 10.15 till 3.45. Her school is down the hill just off a busy main road so wouldn't be too bad to get there. My DS and YD's school was shut again due to the roads not be gritted. Their school is the other way and at the top of the hill, so you can only get there by going up a hill. The text I received from the school was not a happy one. I think the head is losing his patience with our local council. And as this coming Sunday is forecast lots of snow, who knows how long it will be before they are all back in school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriabunny Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I'm a secondary school teacher and my school has been closed for 4 days this week. It's not because teachers don't want to drive to school (as the Daily Wail has no doubt been reporting!) but for H&S on site - my school was built in the 1920s and the grounds aren't designed for the high volume of traffic they have to deal with. The only access to the site for both cars and pedestrians is via a narrow, steep drive with sharp bends. It's hairy enough driving in in the mornings as the kids walk within a foot of the cars, but at the moment it's like an ice rink - the site team have been in every day clearing it, but the council haven't delivered the grit we were promised and cars are sliding all over the place. There's no way we could risk the 70-odd cars that are driven onto the site each day with 1200 kids walking next to them - an accident would be inevitable. On top of that, the school is in loco parentis for all pupils whilst they are on site so if anyone did fall over and break an arm school would be liable and parents could potentially sue for damages. We have however set work for all pupils which has been put on the school website, so they should have been working from home as much as possible. For parents with children doing external exams next week - the exam boards make no concessions for bad weather. We have been told that A level modules will take place as scheduled. Bit barmy if you ask me, given that students have missed out on a week's teaching, but there it is. So do make every effort to get your children in for their exams. My school is planning on opening on Monday for all years, but if we are hit by more severe weather over the weekend and have to close again we will still be open for the exam groups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Apparently the secondary school had a pair of JCBs in today & have cleared the school grounds,but the council haven't been to clear the road too school & won't or can't say when or if it will be done. Both of my girls schools have posted work for them on Learnzone,& both have exams next week,so are revising too. Devons Classics teacher has told them to make a snow sculpture of their favourite character from The Odyssey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iar fach goch Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 We have had very little snow here, just lots of ice and too little grit to go round. Boys were sent home on Tuesday, took them in on Wednesday only to have to bring them home because the cook couldn't get in!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Eloise's school was open today and yesterday but she didn't go in which the headteacher said was fine. We live 8 miles from the school in a semi-rural location. I'm not risking a car accident for the sake of a few days of school. I need my car to get to school and to see my brother so I won't risk taking it out in icy weather. We only have about 3 inches o snow but the roads are icy and are forecast heavy snow Sunday. I'm beggining to wonder if I could hire a 4x4 car for the next couple of weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 YS's primary still closed despite clear main roads and 90% teachers living bus or walking distance away. ES's school open today up a hill - not gritted and if anyone had broke a leg, or fallen ill - an ambulance could not get there. Air ambulance would have been only option. A friend is teacher at primary and she was surprised they didnt go back today. Caretaker hadnt even starting clearing snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGirlsMum Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Girls have been off since Wednesday my car hasn't moved off the drive, ice rink outside. Hubby has had to leave his car in the town and walk so that he can get on to the base. Our school is very rural and on a tiny lane with bad blind bends and steep slopes so safety first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 No snow days here,the school site is treacherous . So icy and slippy, especially poor for some of the students with mobility issues who I work with, but we have managed - not much snow, just very slippy indeed. My tutor group are gutted - they are desperate for a day off like the rest of the country!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Lol i remember when our primary school playground was icy we all made a giant slippery slide down the playground! them were the days, noone got hurt either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
