To those who feel it is an easy option for schools to close due to ice, snow and freezing temperatures, just ponder the following: Staff have to travel, often long distances, to reach their schools, risking their cars and life, given some of the poor driving conditions recently and the ungritted roads at 8am each morning, with most schools not located on major, and therefore gritted, roads.

Students will need to walk or be bussed into the schools, which is particularly hazardous to rural schools; and often bus companies will not turn out, leaving schools half-empty with another percentage not turning up anyway as parents keep their children at home.

Once on the school site, what quality would the day hold? Slippery paths and playgrounds and wet corridors, accidents waiting to happen (not including injuries from snowballs).

Once in the classroom, the focus is often not on the lessons but on the outside conditions, with students having cold hands and wet clothing.

Then, just as the sun is going down and the temperatures plummet, everyone has to get home, when police and other agencies are saying “only travel if your journey is essential”.

After all that, there will be parents looking to sue over their child slipping over on the school site and injuring themselves.

Risk assessments and health and safety dictate.

Phil Coleman
Myland