School Closure
While our priority is to keep the school open, the health and safety of our students and staff must come first. Any decision to close the school due to extreme weather will be made by the Headteacher, normally in consultation with the Chair of Trustees and relevant senior staff.
Where possible, we may operate a reduced timetable rather than close the school completely. This could involve a later start, an earlier finish or both. Any after-school activities will be cancelled. Please be aware that, during adverse weather, we cannot guarantee that public transport or privately operated school bus services will run as normal.
If the school remains open during cold or wintry weather, parents and carers should ensure that students wear warm clothing and suitable footwear. Students must take particular care when moving around the school site and use only paths that have been cleared and gritted. For everyone’s safety, snowballs must not be thrown anywhere on the school site.
If the school remains open during exceptionally hot weather, parents and carers should ensure that students wear hats, bring a refillable water bottle and apply sunscreen before arriving at school. Students should drink water regularly, avoid unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight and follow any temporary adjustments to uniform, lessons or activities communicated by the school.
Communication
Please do not telephone the school for general closure updates. Information will be communicated to parents, carers and candidates by email and/or text and published on the school website. Candidates affected by public examinations will receive specific instructions.
Examinations
Where it is safe and practicable to do so, public examinations will continue even if the school is closed to other students. Candidates must check the school’s website and communications carefully and follow any instructions issued by the school. If examinations cannot take place on the school site, the school will follow its examination contingency plan and liaise with the relevant awarding bodies.
Closure before the start of school
In the event of extreme weather, any decision to close the school will be communicated as early as practicable, either the evening before or by 7.30am on the day of the closure.
The following arrangements may be used:
- a prominent notice on the school’s website and official social media channels; and
- an email and/or text message.
Late start to the school day
Where conditions are expected to improve or additional time is needed to prepare the site safely, the school may open later than usual. Wherever possible, a delayed opening will be announced the evening before. In these circumstances, the school day will begin with registration at 9.30am.
If the site cannot be made safe, the school will close. This decision will be communicated as early as possible and, wherever practicable, before students begin travelling to school.
Closure during the school day
If weather conditions worsen during the school day making the site unsafe, a decision will be made to close the school. In this event parents/carers will be informed by email and/or text and the website/Twitter will be updated. Students will remain supervised by staff until appropriate travel arrangements can be made.
Please remember that staff will also need to make their way home and as such we ask parents/carers to prioritise the transport of their children away from school.
Remote Learning
The school recognises that an unexpected closure can significantly affect households. We will aim to maintain continuity of learning as far as practicable.
From Period 2, students should follow their usual school timetable and complete the work posted. Tasks will be designed so that students can work independently without requiring direct support from an adult at home. The nature of the work will vary between subjects and will be adapted where necessary. For example, a practical lesson may be replaced with an appropriate video, reading activity or alternative written task.