schools opening when it has snowed!

thegirlintheattic

Deanied wrote: »

The point of it is that if everyone did it, very few school would have to close, because they would rely on the teachers living in their communities to keep them open. I guess if the first school is closed you then walk to the next closest and so forth, all of which will be easier to get to that your normal school or else you would have gone to work as normal.

Until there restrictions on CRBs are gone (I think that is happening soon) and there is a national ID system it will not happen. Would you really be happy if your child's school let in someone claiming to be a teacher with little proof, then left them alone with the kids?!

My nearest school is a few minutes away, I'd would happily go there to work on a snow day but I would be turned away. Even if I did get let in, there would be no teaching done just babysitting.

re: caretakers - most get paid a salary and will be in clearing snow on a Sunday. As for snow clearing by staff - a nice idea - but when most of the staff live 20-30 miles away chances are they won't be able to get in. I'm sure there are some schools where the staff could get in early and help, but for many schools they close because the teachers cannot get in in the first place, not because of snow on site.

victory

Wyre wrote: »

If the schools are open and public transport is running, my children will be attending school, but there is no way I am going to make them walk when they have to travel such a distance.

My son walks to school, around here the snow is very heavy, the school website says yes, we shall see tomorrow:D

tesuhoha

I used to work in a school where they all used to pray for snow in the staff room so they could get a snow day. It didn't snow at all here on Friday but I know the same school closed an hour early to allow the pupils to get home safely.

On days when it did snow but the school opened quite a few teachers had obviously resigned themselves to a day off because they would phone and say that they couldn't get in whilst people that lived near them would make it. The same people would phone in and say the trains were not running when they were. I know all this because I used to answer the phones.

Of course there were also a lot of dedicated teachers who would struggle in no matter what and there have been days when the kids decided they weren't coming in so half empty classrooms.

The caretakers always used to break their necks trying to keep the school open.

victory

The last time it snowed my son did go in, there were 5 kids in his class, 5 out of 30 and it was clearly stated on the website the school was open.

claire16c

Glitter_girl wrote: »

At my nephews school they text parents at about 6 am to ask for volunteers to clear snow from the grounds, it always gets done

A school near me did that 2 years back when it snowed, they asked the parents if they wouldn't mind coming in on the Sunday to clear it - apparently loads of them turned up as they couldn't wait to get the kids back to school!

Wyre

Victory it's a long old way for my kids to walk - an hour on the bus is going to be quite some hike, especially in the snow and ice. I want mine in school, they drive me nuts when they are off!

marisco_2

johnnyl wrote: »

Thats what professionals do, schools and teachers want to be paid a professional wage, want to be respected as a profession so act like it. To have no service due to predictable weather is pathetic really.

Have you ever worked in a school? Do you really have any concept of how things work within one? In your line of business are you responsible for the welfare of 800+ children day in and day out?

It is very clear from your posts that the answer to all of those questions is no.

victory

Wyre wrote: »

Victory it's a long old way for my kids to walk - an hour on the bus is going to be quite some hike, especially in the snow and ice. I want mine in school, they drive me nuts when they are off!

That is far yes, my son is just short of a 20 min walk:D

lisawood78

Every school in my town is closed tomorrow that I am aware of, but we have had it heavy (for the UK) all day today and loads on Friday also and only the main roads are gritted. It is passable but it is still snowing so all the schools have taken the decision this evening.

kingfisherblue

johnnyl wrote: »

the reality is do your job or go. You tell me why a caretaker cant clear snow on the weekend. Tell me why teachers or TA's cant come in 1 hour early and all clear a bit.

Thats what happens in works up and down the countries, that's what keeps businesses going. If any school is shut because their premises are full of snow then their head should be held to account. It is a situation that can be predicted and managed and it isnt acceptable for it not to be.

Some teachers and TAs cannot get into school any earlier to clear snow, because they have their own children to get into school first.

My older son goes to a special school, and it isn't so much the school, as the transport, that is the problem. The majority of children come in minibuses or taxis, as they cannot access public transport due to their disabilities. In addition, they live in all areas of the town, but attend a school in just one area. My friend's autistic daughter is collected at home at 7.50 each day, by minibus, but only gets into school an hour later.

This year we have had very little in the way of bad weather where we live, but the ice and snow over the last couple of winters has caused problems getting our children to school. The minibuses haven't been running, so many people have no way to get their child to school. Walking isn't an option, as it is just too far for most of us. I can normally walk four miles easily enough, but my son cannot. Pushing his wheelchair through the snow and ice wouldn't be easy, and he would be breathing in the cold air the whole time, so that would trigger his asthma. If I caught a bus, I would have to get him to the bus stop in his wheelchair - not as bad as walking to school, but difficult enough. I would then have to hope that the bus is wheelchair accessible. There have been improvements recently, so that isn't as much of a problem as it used to be. The next step would be to change buses, and hope again for an accessible bus, before a walk down a road that despite having a special school in it, is never gritted.

I am keen for schools to remain open when possible, but for some children, it is more difficult to get to school than others.