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? Just had a teacher round at our house (yes I'm skiving off today – my workplace won't close because I'm not there, and no cars have moved on my road this morning) visiting with her kids. Apparently she is on a central register held by the county, hence offered to help supervise at the local school where her daughter goes if they needed more staff – is a 5 minute walk away – knowing that she could be checked out.

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 lazy 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!!

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. Schools staff will also be advised later today on whether they should attend tomorrow."

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 "Presenteeism" 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