schools opening when it has snowed!

johnnyl

daisiegg wrote: »

But not everyone is such an expert on risk assessment as you. What do you think the reaction would be if a head went against the 'tick box risk assessment' and then something DID happen? Do you really think the insurance company, the local authority, the governors and everyone else the head teacher has to answer to would accept the argument of 'yeah but I thought the tick box risk assessment was stupid so I went against it and did my own REAL risk assessment'.

Unfortunately, in this litigious age, people in positions of responsibility DO have to cover their backs (no need for vulgarity ) Teachers and head teachers have not created the system, but they do have to work within it.

fair point, but I'd argue that these are the people that created the tick box risk assessment in the first place. So rather than randomly go against it, the RA could be a little more realistic when they wrote it.

thegirlintheattic

johnnyl wrote: »

AT LAST !!!!

Somebody who actually understands the subject. That is exactly it, the piece of paper achieves nothing. All they had to do is assess and then remove the risk.

They would probably remove the risk by closing the nursery, and then you'd be complaining again.

Janepig

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

Dammed it they do and dammed if they don't. In local primaries parents arrive anyway when it starts snowing asking to collect kids. If the schools close some parents complain, if the schools stay open others will complain about having to go out in bad snow or worry about the kids getting stranded. If the school preempts it and closes before school starts then parents complain that school is closed.

That's just life though, there are decisions made in all walks of life that some people agree with, others don't, it's not confined to schools alone. Everyone I've spoken to today has agreed that the schools in town closing en masse at about 10.30am caused more harm than good. I'm just glad I managed to get home without damaging my car (no mean feat) because that would have been the last straw - others weren't so lucky. If they'd have left it until normal pick up time it wasn't half as bad (as forecast).

Jx

johnnyl

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

They would probably remove the risk by closing the nursery, and then you'd be complaining again.

Of course I would moan at that. Why is closing the nursery the only way to reduce the risk? can you seriously not see other potential things to do that allow the nursery to stay open AND be safe.

Good risk assessment is about finding safe ways to do things not making things safe by banning them / closing places. It really is that simple.

pollypenny

Yet another school bus has gone off the road. - in Pembrokeshire this time.

Until we all get used to fitting winter tyres, it's best to err on the side of caution.

silvercar

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

They would probably remove the risk by closing the nursery, and then you'd be complaining again.

No, they opened the Nursery and warned parents that the car park was closed and that extra care should be taken on the roads.

peachyprice

I bet this family are wishing thier daughters school had been closed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-21192969

johnnyl

peachyprice wrote: »

I bet this family are wishing thier daughters school had been closed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-21192969

what a ridiculous comment

by that logic every work should shut because somebody dies everyday going to work. Its just utter nonsense and to use it as an emotionally charged justification for shutting schools is beyond low.

coolcait

johnnyl wrote: »

what a ridiculous comment

by that logic every work should shut because somebody dies everyday going to work. Its just utter nonsense and to use it as an emotionally charged justification for shutting schools is beyond low.

The family may well be wishing that - which is all that peachy said.

The rest is your interpretation and your view.

As a general point, headteachers may wish to assess the travel risks for staff and pupils, as part of their consideration on whether or not to keep the school open.

johnnyl

coolcait wrote: »

The family may well be wishing that - which is all that peachy said.

The rest is your interpretation and your view.

As a general point, headteachers may wish to assess the travel risks for staff and pupils, as part of their consideration on whether or not to keep the school open.

its not interpretation at all, it is a basic fact that people die everyday either at work or travelling to work but nobody blames it on the work being open.