Severe Weather & Emergency Closure
Information for Parents / Carers and Pupils
There are occasions due to adverse weather conditions, when it is necessary to close the school. This is usually as a result of snow or flooding on the surrounding routes into school. Rarely, it may be necessary to close the school for reasons of site safety.
Early Morning Closure
Decisions to close are taken early in the morning, usually around 7 a.m., as a result of the overnight weather, current weather or any clearly imminent hazardous weather.
In considering a closure decision, the following factors are taken into account:
- Which bus routes are reported to be able to run successfully, both to and from school. This is the decision of the bus companies, not the school.
- The forecast conditions that may affect return journeys.
- The proportion of staff who are able to attend school safely to supervise the pupils who can get to the site.
- The safety of the site.
The decision to close is made by the Headteacher, in consultation with senior colleagues and transport companies. Pupils should not make an assumption that school is closed and should always wait for notification of closure.
When the decision to close is made, we will inform the school community in the following ways:
- Through the ARBOR app and text messaging service if you do not have the App.
- An email to all parents / carers
- A message will be placed on the school website
- Via Worcestershire County Council school closure routines. This will inform their website as well a local radio stations BBC Hereford & Worcester 104 FM, Free Radio (formerly Wyvern FM) 102.8 FM Touch FM 102 FM
Closure During the School Day
Whilst we always hope to complete an entire day at school there are rare occasions, if conditions seriously deteriorate during the course of the day, a decision may be taken to close early to ensure that pupils and staff get home safely.
On these occasions we will inform parents as described above. Pupils will also be allowed to call their parents from their phones. It is highly recommended that all school transport entitled pupils take the bus home. In adverse weather, experience shows that the fewer cars that come to the site, the better it is for everyone. Parents / Carers who are not entitled to school transport must make immediate arrangements for the safe collection of their children.
Pupils Taking Public Examinations
Even if school buses are not running and school is otherwise closed, we will make every effort to put on special arrangements for pupils taking any public examinations.
If at all possible these pupils are asked to make private arrangements to come into school to sit the examinations as they cannot be rescheduled. Internal exams, e.g. mock GCSE will be rescheduled in the event of a closure.
Remote Learning
If the school does need to close, tasks (in the form of consolidation / revision work) will be set for pupils on Teams or ARBOR, in line with their timetable on the day(s) of the closure.
Bearing in mind the emergency nature of a closure this may not be immediately possible as staff may also be dealing with their own travel and family situations.
Should a closure extend for more than a day, tasks will be set on Teams for pupils. It is parents’ responsibility to ensure that their child access and complete any work that has been set.
Re-opening
Every effort will be made to update parents each evening of the day that the school is closed to aid family’s planning for the following day. This will include a decision to re-open. In the absence of any message, the school is open.
Contact Phone Numbers
It is essential that the school holds up to date contact information to ensure successful communication in an emergency situation. Data collection sheets are issued every September.
Please ensure you inform us of any interim changes, this can be done through Arbor or contacting the school office. (office@chantryschool.com)
