[Closed] School closures why....

All around functioning normally? Absolute gridlock here today...

That's because of a breakdown of a rather large truck on the A1 [closing it] & all the traffic coming through the town as a diversion

Sat at work and self employed waiting for a large drum of armoured cable to arrive, which I will then tow 50 miles to lay it in a quarry.

oldgit, I will try again in very simple terms, Kids need a minimum level of suppervision, someone has to decide what to do before the teachers arrive, we live in a litigous society. If the local authourity are advising people not to travel and little jimmy gets hurt travelling the school called be called to account, if little jimmy gets to school and breaks his leg and the school doesnt have the minimum supervision the school is in deep, deep shit. If the kids all come to school and then cannot be collected it is a major headache that the local emergency services would no doubt not need at that point. Most business dont have such huge duties of care over their "customers" when kids are involved and in our litigous society the only option open to heads its to be cautious. If you cannot understand this then maybe your school was closed too much when you were a kid.

Thankyou a_a

Now all we have to do is make the business world understand. You can't get away from the fact that there are many people in employment that have kids at school. And that school closures do have an impact on their working lives. To just say 'sniff it's your problem innit' is what's angered me. As you have pointed out in your post it's not simple, it certainly isn't.
BTW I certainly can't ever remember school closures.

My cables arrived now see you later.

At the end of the day the business world can go take a running jump, its the schools responsibility to keep kids safe at school and if they cant do that (or think it may be a problem) then the parents have to step in simple.

So what about everyone else,
My wife and teams are in at work and were yesterday as I am today.

Been to the Dentists this morning in Grassington drove right past the local school thats closed cos the Namby Pamby teachers cant get in, so how the **** did I drive through the Dales in my little car eh ?

And will be going to Carlisle on the Train this aft working, maybe I shouldnt I'll just start racking up the excuses now.

Fact more kids will injure themsalves sledging than going to school.

We are all in at my school.Teacher's are not off any more than other professions.Of course judging by the attitude of some of the posts you would think we were the modern eq of British Leyland. The fact is you are all bitter at having to spend more time with your kids!

Old Git.(and others!!)
The head takes the decision not "teachers" so **** off.
Most heads work their staff to the bone and certainly are not losing a day lightly!
Often the decision however is virtually imposed by bus companies that say they are not going to run.
Its far better to have made a decision than have 1200 to 1600 pupils arrive only to have them stranded at school.
For what it worth yes I will enjoy my extra day

Dales-rider take a deep breath concentrate hard and then read what I wrote.

and schools will close tomorrow when the snow turns to sheet ice because if someone injures themselves and the school has not taken "appropriate" measures the school would be liable.

The reality is that you are damned if you open (very dangerous and complaints from parents) and you are damned if you close (because after all the English education system is really only about child care-why else do we start children at school so early)

I'm surprised no-one mentioned the long holidays yet....

We're still here, we don't get a say in it. When the Principal says it's shut, it's shut.

Except children are vulnerable thats why teachers are CRB checked you muppet.

No answer to my question about schools having phones, a-a?

How does the teacher prove their identity?

Just a thought

Most teachers are paid through the public purse, so why not have them clearing snow & gritting etc. when they can't\wont turn up for work?

😉

It does seem as if teachers are lazy, at the slightest glimpse of snow they're pushing to have the day off - why aren't they looking after our children? Not only that they have 6 weeks holiday, and that's just in the summer, and they get paid for it!!

Just seen uploads suggestion - great idea, you could have chaingangs of teachers following the snowploughs clearing snow as they marched through the streets on they're paid days off

uplink you will be spending time in the "time out" room for that one!!

As someone said earlier, we don't make the decision. We are all still here, but all of our students are leaving of their own free will (FE college). We couldn't go even if we wanted to.

I phoned my local school this morning and offered my services (they said they were okay), I was also prepared to cycle 10 miles in the snow to get to my usual place of work, but was phoned at 7:00am to say it was not open. It was not my decision to close!

BTW I usually work a [i]lazy[/i] 40-50 hour week

We aren't paid directly with public money, we're a business that is funded on outcomes in FE. We used to get subbed out to the council to do snow clearing in the 80s when i was an apprentice, great crack that was 🙂

we're a business that is funded on outcomes in FE.

semantics - get the shovel out 😀

I think the big problem is that this year there has been some fairly genuine justifcation for closures. In previous years schools have shot themselves in the foot, I remember last year schools in Rochdale deciding to close the day before based on a forecast that turned out to be completely wrong, no snow.

The other thing I think schools should look to is the argument around pemises not being safe. Fine close on the day of the snowfall but it should be the duty of the school to get the grounds back to a safe state asap. This could mean holding their own salts supplies, subcontractin out clearing services etc. What is not acceptable is staying closed for days waiting for nature to defrost the playground whilst for everyone else life continues as normal.

How does the teacher prove their identity?

General Teaching Council ID?

Most teachers are paid through the public purse, so why not have them clearing snow & gritting etc. when they can't\wont turn up for work?

Want me to clear your drive on my way home?

I've already done it Mike - you can carry on babysitting my eldest for now 😉

but as you're offering - could you stick a brush up your jacksie & clear some of the road on your way in tomorrow?

this is all BULL I dorve 5 miles to an appointment this morning, back home and now at work, also drove my 1 year old to nursery but the bloody school for my 5 year old is closed, the roads are CLEAR in bristol so why cant the teachers get in? if I can then they damn well can, they put up a notice last night BEFORE the snow saying they would prob close.... wow talk about planning a closure, as others say millions are in work today why the world stops because of a bit of now is nuts, its a bit of snow, go to canada and see what they still drive in, the country is full of lazy sods looking for any excuse, funny thing is most of the skiving sods are STILL driving to the Mall @ cribbs (500 meters from me) to shop when they should be in work, oh so you cannot drive to work but you can drive to a mall ... PMSL

This is why!!

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=11ehxw&=1&nostamp=1&quality=70 [/img]

Working from home today . . . 'knowledge and understanding of the world' innit 😉

How does the teacher prove their identity?

General Teaching Council ID?

Doesnt have photo.

It's a total lack of moral fibre I tell thee. Some hardcore manning up is clearly needed in the teaching profession 😀

*Gutted as I have to be in and had to cycle 15miles through snowy back roads to get to work

How does the teacher prove their identity?

General Teaching Council ID?

Doesnt have photo.

plus passport/driving licence??

and holiday snaps 😆

"Schools
All schools in the Scottish Borders will be closed for pupils tomorrow (Thursday 7 January).
A decision on any further closures will be made this afternoon by the emergency planning team. [b]Schools staff will also be advised later today on whether they should attend tomorrow."[/b]

And who says schools are closed by teachers?

I'm not a member of the GTC and don't have a driving licence. My passport is about to expire and I'm not going to be renewing it.

Stmpyjohn sums it up far betterer than I managed and without angering anyone.

but as you're offering - could you stick a brush up your jacksie & clear some of the road on your way in tomorrow?

No problem 🙂

Can't be arsed to read the whole thread but quite frankly it all seems to smack a bit of "[url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presenteeism ]Presenteeism[/url]" the lowest of all modern supposed virtues, the idea that being at work regardless of weather or not you are actually needed there, or if it's even safe to travel should be the overriding concern for all people...

Now I know I should really keep my mouth shut, but I have to ask this.
Do other countries with far harsher winters have this problem?

Now I know I should really keep my mouth shut, but I have to ask this.
Do other countries with far harsher winters have this problem?

Didn't you ask this on the other thread?

cookeaa - Now today in bristol there is snow everywhere, however I can say hand on heart it is not dangerous, as from 8.30 am most roads were clear and possible to drive, from 9.30 they were as normal, so why are the schools closed? why have 10000's stayed at home? my office is open, so are the 10 next to me, the supermarkets are open, all the local shops are open FULL of skiving workers, as I said above, how can they drive to a shop but not drive to work? I laughed today i heard a bloke outside a shop "great a free day off work, I love the snow, oh cr@p the shop is closed, why the fek are they closed" another person said "because they are skipping work like you" he laughed and walked off... ironic

cookeaa+10000 !!!

Oldgit, the stock answer to your question is if we had alpine winters every year, everyone would invest in the infrastructure accordingly, and it would cost kerzillions. Because it doesn't happen very often, we don't invest to cope, so every few years we get an impromptu day to play with the kids in the snow, build snowmen and generally have a bit of fun. Which is fantastic. A day off from capitalism, bring it on.

If it happens more frequently, we will have to invest kerzillions and the impromptu fun days off will cease, which would be a shame really.

Possibly, I do that more often these days.
But I kinda hoped that the answer would be, no they all manage just fine.
Then I would ask what can we learn from our foreign cousins.
This and not just the schools has been the topic on most peoples lips that I've met today.
Litigation does seem a major problem. I was talking to a pub landlord and the issue of his car park in this weather seemed like a Biblical H&S issue. The other thing just seems to be the ability to cope. For example I have work to do, but I rely on supply so I turn up for work reliant on other people doing the same however now it seems I can have two suppliers in the same town and one can get to me without any problems and the other can't because of the weather.
So I'm getting a little frustrated at us/we/the/whoever are not addressing the issue when it is likely this could be the trend of winters to come. For now we let it go as it is hopefully just a day or two of closures, but this could last weeks and weeks you see what I mean.

oh GREAT all south glos schools closed tomorrow.......... how the F do they work that out today?

oooh I WILL be ill in 36 days time so cannot go to work,

Muppets

can you not be over the moon that they get the very rare chance to play in it?

CTR i would have thought a weather forecast and probability of people getting stuck, calling early gives a chance for measures to be put in place by parents.

CrashTest I teach in Bristol are they off as well? Had a great day today. May go on an all-dayer if I'm off tomorrow.

how the F do they work that out today?

COMMON SENSE

Seems it isn't that common eh?

bruneep, does the Academy have a larger catchment than the Primary so the kids will have further to travel?

Back in my day in Aboyne (all of 4 years ago) we'd get around a week off each year (cumulative). It was ace, got to go sledging, boarding etc... didn't do me any harm. Chill out and let your kids enjoy it! It's as if you lot don't like being around your own offspring!

Someone said about what happens if young kids can't get home? Do other schools have parents in the village of the school for adverse conditions?

my school is shut again tomorrow, shame I'm off sick and cannot get out of the house on me crutches.

Getting another day off tomorrow cos the school's frozen. Got to school on the first day of snow to be told to turn around and go home. I didn't decide, don't take random days off, do teach 'orrible scouse sock robbers...Hang on why do I feel the need to justify myself as a teacher to the proletariat?

All you haters suck my snow balls!

bruneep, does the Academy have a larger catchment than the Primary so the kids will have further to travel?

Yes probably does and it was open yesterday and today with a later start at 9am and early finish.

Had a couple of RTC's today, resisted to the urge to tell the lads to whip the roof off tho.

email from HT about closure it was due to (and they knew this at 8am 🙄 ) "kitchen deliveries, due in the morning, for the lunches that day were not going to be delivered until later in the afternoon because of the weather and we would not have been able to provide lunches for our pupils."

FFS! take a PACKED LUNCH. My boy does most days.

Bruneep i bet you are a great fun dad to have, wish you were mine!!

wish you were mine!!

It what way 😯

my dad - as ypu seem such a fun person. Are your kids allowed to play in snow or do they have to study all the time?

Are your kids allowed to play in snow or do they have to study all the time?

Yes and No

You don't know me so leave that out.

Usually the case that the more specialised the job/profession, the further away the staff might live.

Yeah, because schools are few and far between...

bruneep you know none of the teachers you are slagging off but continue with it!!

Appologies Bruneep, I didn't read the post properly!

Not the teachers the reason for the closure.............

LOL My Daughter went to school in the end today
But was told to look on the schools internet site
in the morning to see if its open tomorrow!

im off school tomorrow woooooooooooooo!!!....

well the roads in Bristol were BETTER than yesterday and I drove in no problems, in fact the roads were bloody fine, hundreds of cars out, not crawling, all at normal speed... pmsl

well the roads in Bristol were BETTER than yesterday and I drove in no problems, in fact the roads were bloody fine, hundreds of cars out, not crawling, all at normal speed... pmsl

And you could have predicted this with confidence at 6am?

they closed the schools (for today) Yesterday at 2pm, 18 hours before the event............. jesus even my boss drove in from chippenham to filton with no issues today, the roads are clear so why close the schools? I looked out at 7am and cars were driving fine. God help us when autumn hits and leaves fall.. close them again in case someone slips on a leaf, what about a hot summer and sun burn?

great bit on s glos web

School closure information
All schools in the district will be closed on Thursday 7 January for the safety and welfare of pupils and staff. The situation will be reviewed in the afternoon of that day.
Filton College is also closed

Council buildings

During this period of severe wintry weather South Gloucestershire Council buildings remain open. However, there may be some adjustments to their opening hours which will appear here.

So whats the difference between council workers and schools????????? why can they expect council workers to travel and work but not schools? if it is dangerous for one its dangerous for all. Or not as the case may seem, busses are running, trains are running and gov dept are running. How odd, but I bet as I said yesterday most skiving off work will travel to cinemas, malls, drive to friends or will go out for bike rides..

So whats the difference between council workers and schools?????????

Council workers are all adults?

and the difference between and adult and a child? 20 years ago you went to school come hell or high water, whats different in this day of age? politics.. plain and simple, people afraid of law suits, over 80 cars in my work car park, and the roads are flowing well. the only reason they are closed is politics. Im not commenting on anywhere else as I dont know but bristol is fine, doing a blanket closure on all schools is plain daft!

The adult can make their own decision. The child has to put up with someone else's decision - hence more caution shown in making the decision.

I never used to go to school when it snowed 20 years ago. I went sledging

There was one on the news last night

They managed to open OK but the kids weren't allowed out at break-time as it was "far too dangerous"
Other schools didn't manage to open & the head of one advised kids to "go & play in the snow & enjoy it"

😀

I think uplinks post says it all, my school said "hope we get a day off to play in the snow" I said "i thought you were closing as snow was too dangerous" the teacher did not reply! ......

If you cannot understand the reasons why schools are being cautious and announcing closures early to help parents then maybe you missed the common sense lessons at school due to snow closures.

or perhaps you are the type who sees a snow flake and closes down the hatches and hides at home and looks for an excuse to have a snow day? do you live in bristol? have you seen the roads? I suggest not otherwise you would not in a million years say they are right to close. I will take some footage later of the cars driving on the roads, you would be surprised how clear the roads are here.

It's a question of responsibility.

I would guess that you would probably allow your own kids (if you have any?) to do more risky things than you would allow someone else's kids to do if you happened to be looking after them?

Our school has 5 inches of frozen snow over the playgrounds and carpark. If one student breaks a leg in the playground or get hits by an out of control car in the car park then the school would be liable.

Kiril,

It's not really about the schools being liable - its about the schools not wanting their pupils injured - not quite the same thing.

I have a 1 year old and a 5 year old and no I dont let them take risks, in fact I am quite strict in that way, I wont let my son use his scooter or bike in snow or ice as he does not have the skill to, but I think he is fine walking, jumping and playing in it, I am very happy driving them both as the roads are clear so no danger you just drive sensibly. Sitting at home when travel is ok in bristol seem unresponsible to me, the country cannot grind to a hault when roads are useable. If he is safe playing in snow at home, in a park how is that different that a school play ground? if they can get to school safely where is the problem? Like I say, Bristol is fine, buses are running, roads are clear... so take Filton college with 17/18 year olds.. why is it closed? I know many places in england are really bad and thats fine and I agree with closures, but bristol is not a problem

Well really it's futile talking about it here. The only way you would know would be to be in the room with whoever took the decision and see what info they had at the time.

the roads in Bristol now are irrelevant to making the decision on closure, go back and read what I and others posted earlier, your just making yourself look foolish now.

your just making yourself look foolish now

It sounds to me that those sitting at home having a snow day are trying to justify huge closures in [b]safe[/b] driving areas when they [s]could[/s] should be at work! like I say this is not aimed at any other area than bristol

BS weather reports

Are you saying that people should ignore weather forecasts?