During the coldest part of the year it is wise to consider the possible effects of extreme weather conditions on the normal running of the school.
In the event of a very heavy snow fall, preventing a majority of children and staff reaching the school, any decision not to open the school would be broadcast on Radio Leeds and by the posting of information on this website. We may also, where possible, inform parents by sending an SMS text-message to the mobile number we hold on file; it is therefore essential that you make sure we have your up to date contact details. We should stress that such a decision would be very exceptional and only likely to be made in conditions in which many other schools in the area would also be closed. Please assume that the school is open unless informed otherwise.
In icy weather, playgrounds and steps may be dangerous if coated with ice. When these circumstances arise, children should enter school via the bus-bay steps. This area will be given priority when gritting. Pupils should not enter school via the yards alongside Busker Lane.
We fully appreciate that it is often very difficult to predict how the weather will develop at the beginning of the day (even the experts get it wrong!). However, if conditions appear to be worsening, so that the journey to or from school may become hazardous, it would obviously be wise to keep the children at home. This decision is one which only parents can make (not pupils!) If the school is already open for the day and the weather deteriorates to such a point as to give cause for concern for the safety of children returning home, then parents may call at the school to collect their children. In such circumstances, please avoid telephoning the school, if possible, since a large number of calls simply has the effect of jamming the switchboard and making normal communication impossible. Unless parents are able to collect children in person, or delegate another responsible adult to do so, children would NOT normally be released until the usual school closing time (3.40pm) for reasons of safety.
Pupils travelling by bus
At those times of year when buses may be delayed by poor road conditions, fog, snow, and ice, parents of children travelling to school by bus often enquire as to what is a reasonable length of time for a child to wait for a morning bus. Unfortunately, it is not possible to give one simple answer which is true for all situations. So much depends upon the weather conditions at the time. On a clear and sunny morning it is reasonable to expect that a child who has had a good breakfast, and is well wrapped up against the cold, could wait 20-30 minutes, if, for example, the bus were delayed for reasons of accident or breakdown. But in driving snow or torrential rain this would be quite unreasonable and, obviously, parents must instruct their children according to the weather conditions. With this in mind, it is strongly desirable that parents of children travelling by bus should make some emergency arrangements. If, for some reason, the bus does not arrive within a reasonable time, pupils should be able to return home and/or be cared for by an adult.
If a breakdown or minor accident occurs during the journey to or from school, pupils must stay together with the vehicle. Pupils must not set off to walk under any circumstances. The vehicle may provide shelter from the worst of the weather, if it can be safely occupied, and all the pupils will be readily found by relief vehicles tracing the bus route.
If conditions deteriorate during the day, it may be necessary to send the children travelling by bus home early before the roads become too hazardous for travel. Parents should make some emergency arrangements to receive their children early, in the event of this occurring.
To summarise, the conditions would have to be extremely severe to prevent the school from opening and, once again, we would not send any pupils home early (except for pupils travelling by bus) without informing parents in advance. Our prime concern is for the safety of the pupils. We trust that this information helps to clarify the position at this school, but if you have any other queries please do not hesitate to contact us before any further period of severe weather.