There's 'snow' business like 'snow' business!
Whatever the weather we always aim to ensure school continues but there is bound to be some level of disruption to the normal service.
Please keep an eye on the weather forecasts and be prepared for changes if there is a significant cold spell.
If there is a significant snow fall then the following will apply:
In extreme cases, where the safety of the children and staff is significantly compromised by conditions on the roads, the school will switch to online learning for all.
We will endeavour to open in all but the worst of weather and where this remains possible we will open at 10am rather than 9am to give staff more time to get in. Breakfast club will not open on these days, we will advise on the day if after school club will not run.
When open, school dinners are expected to be available as normal.
Once open we will remain open until the normal end of the school day.
Depending on the numbers of staff able to get to school we may re-arrange classes and provide cover that is very different to the normal class routine. Our priority will be to provide safe and adequate supervision for all children. Where possible we will provide remote learning for those not able to make it into school on the day.
We will text all parents with news about the status of the school as early as we can and aim for this to happen before 8:15am. We advise that you don't set off for school until you have received this notification.
Information on school can be found at www.kentclosures.co.uk as well as on local radio stations (Radio Kent, KMFM and Heart FM) as well as on the school website . If we can get a member of staff into the school to be able to change the phone answer message then we will do but this may not always be possible. The school phone line tends to be very busy on bad weather days so we'd advise using other means first.
We enjoy taking the children out into the snow for playtimes but can only do this with appropriate clothing – eg hat, gloves, footwear etc. Spare socks and boots are also a good idea! If you do NOT want your child included in this ‘snow play’ then please make sure you let us know on the day (if/as/when it occurs!). We do have a number of toboggans to use on the field and may allow children to bring their own as well - these need to be clearly named!
Although the end of the school day will remain as normal any after-school activities may well be cancelled. We will text with further details on the day.
If there is a heavy snowfall during the daytime then we will remain in full action until 3:15pm. Only in very extreme cases will be consider closing the school early. If you live some distance from the school and may have difficulty getting home then it may be possible to collect your child early. Please call the office to check if this will be possible.
Following snow fall and with sub-zero temperatures the pathways and roads around school can be treacherous. Extreme care is needed, especially if driving. We may not open the side gate onto the playground if it is very slippery or covered in ice and will confirm by text if all pupils need to enter/leave through the main entrance instead. We try to treat slippery surfaces with grit but this takes time to have an effect - be very careful when entering and leaving the premises.