As we enter the colder winter months and with Met Office warnings of potential snow fall this week, I would like to remind families of our closure protocol.

In the event of adverse weather events, the school will seek to make a decision by 7.15am at the latest as to whether we need to close the school or delay opening. This decision will be posted on the school website at the earliest opportunity and local radio stations will be notified. We will also seek to send a text out to our families.

Our decision will be based on Health & Safety grounds and informed by our ability to ensure the school site is safe and the school community can travel to school without putting them at risk. We will liaise with bus companies regarding the decision.

As we are a very large open site, we will on occasions, need to delay opening to allow the paths around school to be cleared and gritted. Delays will also be made if we feel that travel at peak times increases risk for the school community.

In the event that we close, the school will adopt our remote learning offer and work/ lessons will be posted on Satchel for students to access at home.

If the weather deteriorates during the school day

Members of the Senior Leadership Team will liaise with the bus companies, follow weather reports, and check local travel.

If the situation becomes such that we feel children will experience serious difficulty getting home or be at risk in school if we stay open, a decision will be taken by the Headteacher to close.

The Senior Leadership Team will then disperse and notify classes. The closure will be announced on the website, and by text. 

Please can we ask that parent/carers check the school website/text messages for news of closure and do not phone the school office.  Please wait for notification of closure before attempting to collect your child as the school will not have the capacity to safely collect individual students from class at this time. We ask that parents attending school to collect their child report to staff on duty outside of school who will radio the canteen for children to be released.

Year 12 and 13 students will not be permitted to leave until the official closure is announced so we can ensure their safety.

Once the announcement to close the school is made:

The school bus company will be notified for early collection and students will remain with their subject teacher until dismissed. The subject teacher will record whether they have a safe place to go, or not.  Those that cannot get home, or to a friend’s/relative’s house, will go to the canteen to wait to be collected.

Students waiting for buses will wait in the canteen which will be staffed. Where students have a mobile phone, and have a signal, they will be allowed to use their phone to call home.

Provision will be made for students without a mobile, or unable to get a signal, to call home from a landline.

Many thanks for your support in advance