Schools shut or closing early due to snow (From Bucks Free Press)

Bookermum wrote:
I think that people often think more about their own inconvenience, and less about the fact that the staff need to get into school, & home again safely!! Many teachers live in surrounding villages, which can be hard getting too!!
I for one would not like to be driving in this weather, so I really wouldn't want anyone else too!!

fair say wrote:
No one likes driving in this weather but a lot of parents still have to go into work. What would happen if doctors and nurses didn't go into work, what would happen if shops closed because no staff.
It's always the schools that are first to close.
How many private sector workers have been told they don't need to go to work today because of the snow.
I expect the council will close there offices early like last year to allow there staff to go home.
It's not only teachers that have to drive to work. I know people that have to drive 35 miles each way to work and have still gone into work today.

5656l5656 wrote:
I am a teacher in a school and we did not choose to close until the ground was covered in snow (including the surrounding roads).
The majority of parents were complaining that we had not closed earlier or quicker!
Schools have a duty of care to their children who have to travel in and back from school, many walking along roads where cars are now sliding all over the place. They also have to think of their staff. I am at a school in High Wycombe and we have three staff members who live in Oxford, two from Slough, one from Rickmansworth and the rest from tricky places to reach (Missenden etc).
All of my family members are from the private sector and I have a number of friends who work in the private sector. They have either been told to work from home or have been sent back home.
The people who complain at school closures will not be happy until all schools stay open in all conditions, no matter how treacherous. When a child is killed from the unsafe conditions, that will not matter, they will just be ecstatic that the schools stayed open! To be honest, if that was the case, they'll probably all be complaining about something else anyway! Complaining for complaining sake.

5656l5656 wrote:
I am a teacher in a school and we did not choose to close until the ground was covered in snow (including the surrounding roads).
The majority of parents were complaining that we had not closed earlier or quicker!
Schools have a duty of care to their children who have to travel in and back from school, many walking along roads where cars are now sliding all over the place. They also have to think of their staff. I am at a school in High Wycombe and we have three staff members who live in Oxford, two from Slough, one from Rickmansworth and the rest from tricky places to reach (Missenden etc).
All of my family members are from the private sector and I have a number of friends who work in the private sector. They have either been told to work from home or have been sent back home.
The people who complain at school closures will not be happy until all schools stay open in all conditions, no matter how treacherous. When a child is killed from the unsafe conditions, that will not matter, they will just be ecstatic that the schools stayed open! To be honest, if that was the case, they'll probably all be complaining about something else anyway! Complaining for complaining sake.

sidthesexist wrote:

5656l5656 wrote:
I am a teacher in a school and we did not choose to close until the ground was covered in snow (including the surrounding roads).
The majority of parents were complaining that we had not closed earlier or quicker!
Schools have a duty of care to their children who have to travel in and back from school, many walking along roads where cars are now sliding all over the place. They also have to think of their staff. I am at a school in High Wycombe and we have three staff members who live in Oxford, two from Slough, one from Rickmansworth and the rest from tricky places to reach (Missenden etc).
All of my family members are from the private sector and I have a number of friends who work in the private sector. They have either been told to work from home or have been sent back home.
The people who complain at school closures will not be happy until all schools stay open in all conditions, no matter how treacherous. When a child is killed from the unsafe conditions, that will not matter, they will just be ecstatic that the schools stayed open! To be honest, if that was the case, they'll probably all be complaining about something else anyway! Complaining for complaining sake.

Well it's funny that when some of us went to school in the past we had to go into school no matter how bad the weather. I remember having to queue and wait for a school bus for over an hour due to it being late as the diesel in it's fuel tank had frozen. Having to walk over a mile to school with the snow above my knee's. And yet the schools today close with just a few millimeters of snow on the ground. And i don't know what companies your friends work for as most people i know are still expected to turn into work or they will not be paid..

thethe wrote:
The school has a duty to provide education to it's pupils. It cannot fulfil that duty if it is closed. As has been said before parents manage to get to work, now they have to leave work early in order to pick up their children because teachers can't be bothered to leave for work a little earlier.

As for cars sliding all over the place, a rare few may do, but cars are on the roads and pedestrians are on the pavements!

5656l5656 wrote:

sidthesexist wrote:

5656l5656 wrote:
I am a teacher in a school and we did not choose to close until the ground was covered in snow (including the surrounding roads).
The majority of parents were complaining that we had not closed earlier or quicker!
Schools have a duty of care to their children who have to travel in and back from school, many walking along roads where cars are now sliding all over the place. They also have to think of their staff. I am at a school in High Wycombe and we have three staff members who live in Oxford, two from Slough, one from Rickmansworth and the rest from tricky places to reach (Missenden etc).
All of my family members are from the private sector and I have a number of friends who work in the private sector. They have either been told to work from home or have been sent back home.
The people who complain at school closures will not be happy until all schools stay open in all conditions, no matter how treacherous. When a child is killed from the unsafe conditions, that will not matter, they will just be ecstatic that the schools stayed open! To be honest, if that was the case, they'll probably all be complaining about something else anyway! Complaining for complaining sake.

Well it's funny that when some of us went to school in the past we had to go into school no matter how bad the weather. I remember having to queue and wait for a school bus for over an hour due to it being late as the diesel in it's fuel tank had frozen. Having to walk over a mile to school with the snow above my knee's. And yet the schools today close with just a few millimeters of snow on the ground. And i don't know what companies your friends work for as most people i know are still expected to turn into work or they will not be paid..

Well you clearly didn't spend that much time in school as your use of apostrophes and starting sentences with 'And' are shocking!

When you went to school, there wouldn't have been nearly as many vehicles on the road therefore making it easier to travel. Also, all children went to their local school, often within walking distance. This is still the case for some children but due to the option of choice, many children travel a long way to attend their chosen school.

thethe wrote:
I know perfectly well that some teachers get in early, as to people in many other professions. I am regularly at work well before my paid hours and have made the 20 mile journey to work today. Our office has not closed due to poor weather. And yes, we have pavements and roads where I am

5656l5656 wrote:

thethe wrote:
I know perfectly well that some teachers get in early, as to people in many other professions. I am regularly at work well before my paid hours and have made the 20 mile journey to work today. Our office has not closed due to poor weather. And yes, we have pavements and roads where I am

If you know that, why did you say that teachers can't be bothered to get in early?! Just trying to peddle a stereotypical myth that you have now backed away from.

I'm glad your office is open as you must be working very hard as you can reply constantly during the day.......

miccles wrote:

5656l5656 wrote:

thethe wrote:
I know perfectly well that some teachers get in early, as to people in many other professions. I am regularly at work well before my paid hours and have made the 20 mile journey to work today. Our office has not closed due to poor weather. And yes, we have pavements and roads where I am

If you know that, why did you say that teachers can't be bothered to get in early?! Just trying to peddle a stereotypical myth that you have now backed away from.

I'm glad your office is open as you must be working very hard as you can reply constantly during the day.......

I'm glad your office is open as you must be working very hard as you can reply constantly during the day.......”

What just like you are you mean??????
tough life being a teacher then isn't it.

5656l5656 wrote:

miccles wrote:

5656l5656 wrote:

thethe wrote:
I know perfectly well that some teachers get in early, as to people in many other professions. I am regularly at work well before my paid hours and have made the 20 mile journey to work today. Our office has not closed due to poor weather. And yes, we have pavements and roads where I am

If you know that, why did you say that teachers can't be bothered to get in early?! Just trying to peddle a stereotypical myth that you have now backed away from.

I'm glad your office is open as you must be working very hard as you can reply constantly during the day.......

I'm glad your office is open as you must be working very hard as you can reply constantly during the day.......”

What just like you are you mean??????
tough life being a teacher then isn't it.

My school closed, we established that.

thethe wrote:
I know perfectly well that some teachers get in early, as to people in many other professions. I am regularly at work well before my paid hours and have made the 20 mile journey to work today. Our office has not closed due to poor weather. And yes, we have pavements and roads where I am

daemonite wrote:
Fine close the schools for a little bit of snow. How ever many days are closed then these days should be claimed back off the next seasonal holiday. Back in the fifties we would have to walk through what ever the ellements threw at us. If some teachers didnt turn up then we just carried on with whoever turned up, but the schooling went on.

sidthesexist wrote:

5656l5656 wrote: I am a teacher in a school and we did not choose to close until the ground was covered in snow (including the surrounding roads). The majority of parents were complaining that we had not closed earlier or quicker! Schools have a duty of care to their children who have to travel in and back from school, many walking along roads where cars are now sliding all over the place. They also have to think of their staff. I am at a school in High Wycombe and we have three staff members who live in Oxford, two from Slough, one from Rickmansworth and the rest from tricky places to reach (Missenden etc). All of my family members are from the private sector and I have a number of friends who work in the private sector. They have either been told to work from home or have been sent back home. The people who complain at school closures will not be happy until all schools stay open in all conditions, no matter how treacherous. When a child is killed from the unsafe conditions, that will not matter, they will just be ecstatic that the schools stayed open! To be honest, if that was the case, they'll probably all be complaining about something else anyway! Complaining for complaining sake.

Well it's funny that when some of us went to school in the past we had to go into school no matter how bad the weather. I remember having to queue and wait for a school bus for over an hour due to it being late as the diesel in it's fuel tank had frozen. Having to walk over a mile to school with the snow above my knee's. And yet the schools today close with just a few millimeters of snow on the ground. And i don't know what companies your friends work for as most people i know are still expected to turn into work or they will not be paid..

bucksteacher wrote:
Sorry to all those making valid and appropriate points here about why schools close - in my experience you are wasting your time.

The likes of sidthesexist (clue in the name) and daemonite have no interest in engaging in a proper argument with you, nor are prepared to attempt to understand the facts surrounding how school run now.

They have been hoodwinked by the current government's attempts to denegrate education and teachers in particular and aren't prepared to look beyond the Daily Mail to consider the real world.

1) Teachers do not decide to close schools.
2) Complex decision-making concerning Health & Safety and the availability of school transport (run by County Councils) is required by the Headteacher.
3) Many staff either do make it in or work from home for the day.
4) Many schools set work for students via their websites and so learning can continue.

That said, I am sure I have just wasted my own time in saying this too.

buser wrote:
Perhaps some thought for the 12 year old now 'seriously injured' whilst walking on the pavement, in collision with a car (see Bucks Free Press report approx.11.30a,m, today), would be in order and grateful thanks that this wasn't your child, or the car driver, might be in order. The ambulance service are asking people to stay in doors and I guess, the child involved, the parents and possibly the car driver, wish that they has followed the advice. Really hope the youngster involved is okay!

Shenley05 wrote:
As someone who today had to make the very difficult decision on whether to keep my school open or not, it is not one that it taken likely. I have a duty of care to ensure the safety of my staff, pupils and there parents and this extends to ensuring that they are able to travel to and from the school safely. I left the decision to close later than I should purely for fear of not making the right decision and closing prematurely, however, once I knew all my pupils and staff were safely at home and not having to travel in the horrendous condition later in the afternoon I knew I had made the right decision. I am also fortunate enough to have very supportive parents who agreed with my decision. And for the record my staff all went home and worked on things for the children and the school and the children had home learning to do. As a working parent myself I appreciate that when a school closes it presents challenges for those parents who need to go to work, but I can assure you the decision is only ever made when absolutely necessary.

Dr James wrote:

Shenley05 wrote:
As someone who today had to make the very difficult decision on whether to keep my school open or not, it is not one that it taken likely. I have a duty of care to ensure the safety of my staff, pupils and there parents and this extends to ensuring that they are able to travel to and from the school safely. I left the decision to close later than I should purely for fear of not making the right decision and closing prematurely, however, once I knew all my pupils and staff were safely at home and not having to travel in the horrendous condition later in the afternoon I knew I had made the right decision. I am also fortunate enough to have very supportive parents who agreed with my decision. And for the record my staff all went home and worked on things for the children and the school and the children had home learning to do. As a working parent myself I appreciate that when a school closes it presents challenges for those parents who need to go to work, but I can assure you the decision is only ever made when absolutely necessary.

I take it your a headmaster/mistress etc, your use of grammer is awful...ha ha. pupils and their Parents.