Contingency Arrangement for Adverse Weather e.g. Snow
In the event of severe weather conditions, we wanted to familiarise all families with the school's procedures in these situations. Our aim is to remain open wherever possible.
In the event of snow in the morning, please check the school's website or our Facebook and Twitter sites before leaving for school, where we will post any notifications of closure as early as possible.
We will also send a text message to all parents, so please ensure that we have an up to date mobile number. Please note that our switchboard is often overloaded with calls on these days and unable to respond to them all.
Should Bad Weather Begin During a School Day
If it becomes apparent during the day that the weather is deteriorating and getting home might become an issue, we shall do the following:
- Keep in touch with transport providers to find out what services are operating.
- Notify all parents by text message or phone call and place a message on our website; if the decision is made to close.
Partial Closure
In the event of very heavy snow, the school may open only for a selection of students and/or operate a reduced timetable resulting in a shortened day. In either case, we will endeavour to inform parents via our website and text message as soon as possible.
Where we operate a partial closure, students who must attend do so in the following priority order depending upon the extent of the closure:
- Students taking public examinations;
- Yr13, Yr11;
- Yr10, Yr12.
Alternatively, a slightly reduced timetable may run to allow greater travel time to and from school and to avoid travelling in the dark. On these occasions after school events and activities would be cancelled. The school day would begin at 8.30am and finish at 1:30pm. This adapted day will allow us to keep four out of five lessons, tutor time and one break. Unfortunately, in adverse weather we are unable to guarantee that the school buses will run at the beginning and end of school.
Home Learning
If the decision to close the school is taken the previous day then lessons will be delivered on Microsoft Teams the next day. The normal timetable will be followed, which includes tutor time, but lessons will last just 45 minutes to allow students regular breaks from viewing a screen. All lessons will start at their normal time.
If the decision to close the school is made on the day teaching staff will endeavour to upload work, for their lessons that day, on to Microsoft Teams, but lessons won’t be live. For any subsequent days the school is closed for the same process as that for a planned closure, detailed above, would operate.
We sincerely hope that, just as in the last few years, we can avoid any school closures wherever possible due to the weather. However, as always, it is best to be prepared. We remind families to ensure that students are dressed appropriately with warm coats, hats, gloves and scarves.