Headteacher vows to keep school open, despite snow

7:00pm Friday 8th January 2010

By Lauren Oldershaw

FOR many children, the arrival of heavy snow has meant at least two extra days off to enjoy the white stuff.

But despite the vast majority of Colchester’s schools closing during the icy weather, a handful were determined to keep their doors open.

Headteachers at St John’s Green School, St James and St Paul School, and Myland School, all made the decision to hold classes, with a large number of pupils turning up.

But they were keen to keep the emphasis on fun, with the curriculum altered in many cases to suit the snowy conditions.

Simon Billings, headteacher at St John’s Green School, said he felt it was important to put the message across to pupils that snow is not an excuse to have a day at home.

He said: “Our job is to educate children, and I don’t think it is a very good example to set if you just close the school when it snows.

“It teaches them that if it snows, you don’t go to work. But it does not work like that.

“Whichever way you look at it, we are also providing a service and our job is to look after these children for parents who themselves have to go to work.

“I was very pleased to see the vast majority of the children are here today.”

But the pupils did not miss out on fun, with activities including a snowman building competition.

“Everyone really enjoyed themselves,” said Mr Billings, who also opened his school on the last day of term before Christmas when snow forced many others to close.

Jeff Graham, headteacher at St James and St Paul School, in Guildford Road, said staff had gone out of their way to get in this week, and many lessons had been altered to focus on the snow.

He added: “We have had snow-themed poems and maths lessons and about two thirds of the school are here. I am making the decision about opening on a day-by-day basis.

David Young, headteacher at Myland School, in Turner Road, said: “I want to put the record straight on the theory that health and safety is putting an end to children having fun in the snow at school. They had snowball fights and made snowmen, just as they would have done if they had had the day off.”

Meanwhile, a Wakes Colne resident has praised the attitude of Chappel Primary School headteacher Julie Ingram.

On Wednesday, she told parents there were enough members of staff living locally to keep the school open and supervise pupils.

Peter Twyford, whose daughter Sophie is a pupil there, claimed 415 schools in Essex were closed yesterday, and Chappel Primary was one of only a few to open.