Okay, if it snows......

[Andrew_C]

I am sure their network needs some massive upgrading!

Think outside the box. What else could you do with primary kids? Snow angels? A spot of maths? In many ways, true EduGeeks might not be much use as we wouldn't necessarily know the systems/passwords etc, but I'm sure that there is something we could all do for the odd day here and there to ensure that those kids that do get in are safe, and learn something.

 

teachers unions were dead against it iirc - there is also the crb and related issues ?

I suppose that they want the snow-days... CRB etc would have to be dealt with in advance, which means some inter school or county level cooperation.

[GREED]

Think outside the box. What else could you do with primary kids? Snow angels? A spot of maths? In many ways, true EduGeeks might not be much use as we wouldn't necessarily know the systems/passwords etc, but I'm sure that there is something we could all do for the odd day here and there to ensure that those kids that do get in are safe, and learn something.

 

I could do that with my 16-18 learners, I don't need to go to the local primary for that!!!

[kaphc]

Yeah, that's in all national teacher contracts so I've been told, and has been for decades.

 

Yep, my mum and dad were both teachers before they retired and always used to do this in heavy snow. This was before the days of Safeguarding and Ofsted though.

[Rydra]

Last xmas I didn't go into work one of the days it snowed, despite the school being open. I live on a residential road, but it's the main bus route for the town.

The buses hadn't run down it for 3 days, and we hadn't seen a gritting lorry at all. The road and the footpath was just a sheet of ice, so if I had tried to get the car off the driveway, I'd have just slipped straight across the road, right into the parked cars opposite.

That would then have blocked the road no doubt, and with the idiots around me, most likely got side swiped by someone driving without clearing the windscreen while smoking a cigarette and retuning their radio and turning up the Subs...

[jcollings]

Yep, my mum and dad were both teachers before they retired and always used to do this in heavy snow. This was before the days of Safeguarding and Ofsted though.

 

Wasn't that also when teachers were employees of the LEA rather than the school. Many staff now work directly for a school or academy and are not employed by the LEA as such.

[GeeHubb]

Yes BUT

 

Someone turns up claiming to be a teacher from another school closed due to snow.

HT at local school doesn't know this person from Adam.

HT has no means of double-checking because the other school is closed.

The HT would be breaching Safeguarding rules by letting this person come into contact with children.

 

It should be possible though if they were to turn up with an Enhanced CRB in their hand, less than two years old supplied by the same LA, plus documentary evidence that they were that person, plus photo id to confirm their likeness.

 

I produce the contracts in our school and I've never seen a paragraph about working in the nearest school in the event of school closure, though I do believe this used to be the 'accepted' case. Think it disappeared long, long ago!

 

I'm not in school today, though it is open. I have a sick OH at home and an even sicker parent in hospital 90 miles away whom I was hoping to go and visit. Some hope - the main roads are gridlocked as far as I can tell from listening to the traffic reports.

[localzuk]

Wasn't that also when teachers were employees of the LEA rather than the school. Many staff now work directly for a school or academy and are not employed by the LEA as such.

 

The vast majority are still employed by the LEA though. Academies are relatively few in number...

[GeeHubb]

The vast majority are still employed by the LEA though. Academies are relatively few in number...

 

But there are still quite a few ex-GM, Foundation Schools who are the employer.

[jcollings]

The vast majority are still employed by the LEA though. Academies are relatively few in number...

 

I'd be interested in seeing the source for your "vast majority" claim. It's certainly not the case in many of the schools round here.

[CAM]

Also consider that a school may be closed in the interests of pupil safety. You will turn up to the nearest school just to find they are closed too due to no kids. Those who have got in won't be doing lessons as the rest of the class will be left behind.

 

I am surprised with the heavy snow we had in London that the transport has kept running. Seems National Rail and TFL were well prepared this time round. Will be fun getting home by car though, roads were bad enough this morning!

[GREED]

Additionally, schools I have worked in or with where they have closed, often expect support staff (as well as teaching staff in some cases) to still come in even if the school is closed to pupils...

[Rydra]

Additionally, schools I have worked in or with where they have closed, often expect support staff (as well as teaching staff in some cases) to still come in even if the school is closed to pupils...

 

For a single day of closure, the normal practice is those who can safely get in should do so, which basically means anyone within say 1-2 miles, maybe closer, and that is still dependant on the exact conditions out. Expecting a staff member to do a 3-4 hour journey when in most of these cases, the schools close up completely by lunchtime if the school is officially closed.

If it's multiple days of closure, it's a fair chance the site agents won't even open up the 2nd day, so no point in trying to get in.

 

In the end, most teachers presented with a random day at home in the middle of a teaching week will catch up on lesson planning or other paperchasing exercises, so it's rarely a wasted day. Just the nature of most teachers i've ever met, they never quite stop (until about the 4th alcoholic drink, then they REALLY let go!)

[GeeHubb]

I am surprised with the heavy snow we had in London that the transport has kept running. Seems National Rail and TFL were well prepared this time round. Will be fun getting home by car though, roads were bad enough this morning!

 

Just taken my daughter two and a half hours to drive from Epsom to Streatham. Still, at least she did manage to visit her Gran in hospital, which is more than I did today! Have to try again tomorrow.

[CAM]

Took me 3 hours going half the distance the other way. Deathtrap roads and huge queues, nearly abandoned the car and walked.

[oxide54]

The real problem is the individual employers/schools. The bottom line is that by saying you will be docked pay or loose holiday is indirecly bullying people into going into work. Some people cannot afford to loose pay, and so feel they have no option but to rick their lives (and lets be fair, January this year is was risking lives). The employer has no issue with this, and if they get hurt they turn round and say 'we didn't force them in'. Where you live has nothing to do with it. I live 4 miles from work, walkable yes, but last January I would have ended up with broken limbs after 1 miles I would promise you. The country is not set up yet to deal with heavy icy conditions (unlike most of northan Europe!), but it seems to be catering for business rather than public safety.

 

+1 for the danger aspect of walking to work.

[chrbb]

Just a quick comment to throw in - would you still expect the plumber to arrive at your house to mend your boiler? Or would you accept that the snow is too dangerous for his astra van?

[GREED]

Just a quick comment to throw in - would you still expect the plumber to arrive at your house to mend your boiler? Or would you accept that the snow is too dangerous for his astra van?

 

A very good point. Although in January that was exactly the case plumbers couldn't come out! In Portsmouth anyways.

 

I go back to my point above though, why are staff expected to still come in even when the school is closed, and I am talking mostly about support staff here, in my experience?

[chrbb]

Our school is shut today, I'm not expected in although I did text the office manager to see if I was required to go in as I live quite close.

[IanT]

it took me 5hours and 15mins to get home last night, took me 30mins getting in this morning, we've had to close because too many staff have rang in.

 

Me and the head were on reception taking the calls!, i live 10miles from work, if I can get in they can it in is my view.

[Sirbendy]

Just a quick comment to throw in - would you still expect the plumber to arrive at your house to mend your boiler? Or would you accept that the snow is too dangerous for his astra van?

 

Astravans (astras in general) can take it..heh. All of mine have laughed at snow, even without any aids.

 

Mother-in-law chickened out yesterday for childcare citing "5 inches of snow"..we had about an inch tops. Plus more overnight. Jem walked to work, I stayed home and spent my first full day alone with daughter. Good times!

 

MIL drives a Kia Soul..always saying how good it is, how well it handles etc..yet snow can stop it? I don't buy it. Jem's taken the day off today working remotely so I can come in today, then she doesn't work thurs/fri, so we'll be OK until next week now.

 

I have a boot containing autosocks, a blanket etc..so far, 1 wheelspin. Untreated school carpark!

 

I have the only car out there with a blue fleece blanket covering the windscreen, and front doors. Heh.

[GREED]

it took me 5hours and 15mins to get home last night, took me 30mins getting in this morning, we've had to close because too many staff have rang in.

 

Me and the head were on reception taking the calls!, i live 10miles from work, if I can get in they can it in is my view.

 

A view you are well entitled to

 

My only point would be if that became your school policy, and in a paniced effort to drive into work a member of staff has a bad accident, I am not sure I would be too happy with SMT, and SMT should not be feeling too great either.

 

BTW, this should not be taken as a point to now argue 'well, they could have an accident any time that is not our fault...' etc etc, I am not placing blame, I am not for essentially telling staff to take risks they don't feel they can handle when in charge of a 2 tonne hulk of metal!

 

Oh, this is not directed at you IanT by the way, it is a general comment!

[GREED]

Surely its all a matter of direction? For example, if I head ten miles East from work I'm in the Peaks and there is no chance of anyone living there coming in. But ten miles west of school and the roads are fine.

 

10 miles south of me is the Isle of Whight!

[elsiegee40]

We have a telephone tree that starts with me calling the HT at 6am to describe the view from my frontdoor (I live closest to school) closely followed by a text to the secretary to put her on alert

 

She calls the Bursar, Deputy Head and Head of Pre-School and they call their lists to assess who can get in. I usually get the call to update the website, twiiter and radio stations within half an hour.

 

Today is definite closure. We don't have a ski tow between our buildings and the steep hill has turned into the Cresta Run!

 

My teenagers are very pigged off as their schools seem to be the only ones open in the town and the journey is walkable!

[K.C.Leblanc]

We have a telephone tree that starts with me calling the HT at 6am to describe the view from my frontdoor (I live closest to school) closely followed by a text to the secretary to put her on alert

 

Someone should get these guys Snow Business - World Leaders in Artificial Snow and Winter Effects to do a job on your front garden in mid June so everyone can have a day off.

 

Gloucestershire seems to be a virtually snow proof vortex at the moment. Apart from a tiny dusting we're had nothing.

[Gibson335]

I'm amazed by the 'if I can get in they can' attitude of people not just on here but in general. Many people can't get their cars out of their own streets during really prolonged periods of snow and/or ice; for the same reason cabs can't be used; bus and train services are cancelled. My own school takes the reasonable view that you should do everything you can do to get in, but if you're unable to you are expected to stay in contact and work at home if at all possible.