School Snow Closures - January 2013

[Bob]

Cooper Perry are closing this afternoon.

 

[Stafford College]

Just in case you or a member of your family is due to come in to College this afternoon, please note that the College is closing from 12pm. There is one exam due at 1pm. That will still take place.

 

[staffordjas]

Wow if Barnfields is closing i wonder if they'd close Marshlands too? It didn't close for weather while my daughter was there but things are changing.

Marshlands closing at 12pm as well according to school closure website above

 

[John Marwood]

snow and stuff

it tinna like its never happened before ezzit?

 

[staffordjas]

Message just received from Walton via E-Mail....

SCHOOL CLOSED AT 12.30 PM. SIXTH FORM AND Y10, 11 STUDENTS WILL BE RELEASED. NEED PARENTAL PERMISSION FOR YEAR 7,8 AND 9. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE WITH CHILDS NAME AND YOUR AUTHORISATION

 

[John Marwood]

Room for two up top

Only a flesh wound

 

[Withnail]

Looks like pretty much everyone has given up now - closures at 12 all round.

Last one to the castle is a rotten egg!

 

[Dabbler]

Leasowes will remain open until 3.20, but if you are in a position to collect your child before then you are welcome to do so!

 

[Gadget]

I ended up with #1 and 3 coming home this afternoon, #2 was available for pick up but given the conditions i reckoned she'd fare better than me walking about so she came home normal time. Unless conditions improve on Monday i'm just not sending them, not if they will be sent home by lunch.

 

[Gramaisc]

Going through Hednesford this morning, the place was full of kids in uniform on their way back home, having, presumably, got to their schools only to be sent away. It would have been a great help to alleviating the traffic chaos if some method of telling people that there is no need to venture out could be given before they make the pointless, unnecessary journey at peak time. I wonder if there might be a way to do this...?

 

[tek-monkey]

There is some way I heard of, from that weird bloke down the boozer, but it's digital so will never catch on.

Perhaps ring the Church bells in morse?

 

[Gramaisc]

There is some way I heard of, from that weird bloke down the boozer, but it's digital so will never catch on.

Perhaps ring the Church bells in morse?

Maybe we could persuade people to use this newly-formed, trial system - it might have practical benefits..?

 

[henryscat]

Going through Hednesford this morning, the place was full of kids in uniform on their way back home, having, presumably, got to their schools only to be sent away. It would have been a great help to alleviating the traffic chaos if some method of telling people that there is no need to venture out could be given before they make the pointless, unnecessary journey at peak time. I wonder if there might be a way to do this...?

In theory no kids should have to go to school in a car.... Those living further than walking distance get a school bus, all the others could walk...

 

[Gramaisc]

In theory no kids should have to go to school in a car.... Those living further than walking distance get a school bus, all the others could walk...

Indeed not, but the prevailing practice seems to ignore this. I have seen people unable to turn into their drive because it is blocked by the bus dropping off children from the same school as the kids in the back of their car.!

When I was at school, the very few children who arrived in cars were despised for being 'softies' and were usually the offspring of solicitors.

Some children did leave in cars, occasionally - often white cars with a red stripe on the side..

 

[Floss]

Going through Hednesford this morning, the place was full of kids in uniform on their way back home, having, presumably, got to their schools only to be sent away. It would have been a great help to alleviating the traffic chaos if some method of telling people that there is no need to venture out could be given before they make the pointless, unnecessary journey at peak time. I wonder if there might be a way to do this...?

I don't think a decision is ever made to close schools until the morning in question, which I can understand is inconvenient for parents especially if they are working! Staff don't get informed until about 7.30 of a morning if it is closing, which can in turn inconvenience them, should they be half way to work or sitting outside the gates! So yes better communication all round wouldn't go a miss!

 

[Gramaisc]

I don't think a decision is ever made to close schools until the morning in question, which I can understand is inconvenient for parents especially if they are working! Staff don't get informed until about 7.30 of a morning if it is closing, which can in turn inconvenience them, should they be half way to work or sitting outside the gates! So yes better communication all round wouldn't go a miss!

The website does have a section for closures 'tomorrow' and does even have one for this Monday, although it's not weather-related. It seems simple enough for there to be a suitable procedure to deal with this, if it is necessary to close schools on such a scale, then the avoidance of pointless journeys is at least half the point, surely?

 

[Floss]

The website does have a section for closures 'tomorrow' and does even have one for this Monday, although it's not weather-related. It seems simple enough for there to be a suitable procedure to deal with this, if it is necessary to close schools on such a scale, then the avoidance of pointless journeys is at least half the point, surely?

I agree it should be easier! I think school buses play a part if they are running or not, whether decisions are made to close or not. I don't understand why decisions aren't made the night before to avoid any traffic or child care issues, I know some parents will make their own decisions whether to send kids or not, as I imagine it's more problematic trying to leave work early to fetch their kids than it is organising childcare the day before!

 

[henryscat]

The website does have a section for closures 'tomorrow' and does even have one for this Monday, although it's not weather-related. It seems simple enough for there to be a suitable procedure to deal with this, if it is necessary to close schools on such a scale, then the avoidance of pointless journeys is at least half the point, surely?

It's up to individual heads to take closure decision and when they take it. They could easily take it the day before if they chose to. Unfortunately head teachers often have big ego syndrome and don't want their school to close before others...

 

[Gramaisc]

I don't understand why decisions aren't made the night before to avoid any traffic or child care issues

I wonder if it's possibly something to do with the fact the the 'decision-makers' don't face any of the consequences of their decisions, or the timings thereof...

Anyway, most kids will have learnt more from a day of running about in the snow that they would have from being stuck in a room all day, but the pointless chaos is rather unnecessary, I feel.

 

[proactive]

It's up to individual heads to take closure decision and when they take it. They could easily take it the day before if they chose to. Unfortunately head teachers often have big ego syndrome and don't want their school to close before others...

Heads are also reluctant to close because of the impact it can have with parents not being able to go to work and the inevitable negative publicity that ensues if a closure takes place and for some reason the weather does not turn out how the met office predicted.