Light the blue touch paper

[Highlander]

With every respect for the job they do, why are teachers not required to at least attempt to go to their place of work during bad weather.

[Pompeylil]

Most schools opted to close for the old excuse of health and safety.  Health and Safety for the children getting to school, the H&S of the staff and there wellbeing and getting to school safely!

The school in which I work has a high number of staff that live outside the immediate area and thus a car drive is there only option.  I can walk to and from work in about 15 mins and would have done today.

However, the A3 Petersfield to Horndean was closed overnight and this in itself caused huge tailbacks around the minor roads as people tried alternative routes.

Full marks go to a school in Yorkshire - which also happens to be the highest school in the country.  They managed to open today.

It is down to the Heads discretion as to what he / she chooses to do.  But I do think more schools should try and open even if they have to run on skeleton staff and combine classes.

[julesbob0303]

The school I work at has 1600 pupils between 11-18, and the majority of the staff (teachers and senior staff) live out of the area.  Most of the support staff (like myself) are more local, and would therefore be able to get to work, but who would want their children "taught" by unqualified people, in large groups?  

I am perfectly capable of acting as a cover supervisor, but would still require the necessary work to be set for each lesson to keep the children on track for the national curriculum.  It seems pointless getting the students into school just to give them word searches etc to fill in the day.  

One of the main reasons why schools are closed (I believe) - it is just not safe for staff to travel long distances (as warned on the news), or for buses full of children, to be out and about on icy roads.  It is just too risky (health and safety again).  We have all been warned to venture out "in emergencies only".  There are too many people about today who just can't wait to put in a claim against the school if anything goes wrong.  [|)]

On the news earlier, they said that a lot of schools were closed today to keep traffic to a minimum, to give them a chance to grit roads (like they didn't know the snow was coming!!!)  

I thought it was the local council, as well as the Head, who decide whether or not schools should open, but I could be (and probably am) wrong!!  

I know some people will say that years ago children used to walk to school.  Some of our pupils live up to 10 miles away, and I, as a parent, wouldn't want my kids to be walking to school for more than a couple of miles maximum, and even then, not at 11 years of age, when it's barely light at 8am.  

Maybe the older pupils could make more effort and be covered by skeleton staff, especially those about to sit GCSE's or A levels [?]

(It's still nice though having a couple of unexpected days off!!   )

[julesbob0303]

Where's your response gone H?  It makes my reply below look even more nonsense than it possibly is!!!!  Anyway, here goes:-

How many parents would keep their kids off though because of the weather, worrying about travelling etc?  And how many kids would truant to play out in the snow?  We don't see much of it (thank god!) especially in our area.

Teachers could struggle to get into work, travelling 50+ miles, congesting the roads further, to teach classes with half the kids missing.

I personally would not keep my kids home if school was open - I also believe they should be in school.  Unfortunately (and I deal with parents every day of the week) a lot of parents don't think the same as I do.

Again, only my opinion.  And I can understand what you are saying H.

Certainly not my fault that I have been told to stay home today and tomorrow!  I am only support staff, paid a pittance (not for any of the 13 weeks holidays each year - they are all unpaid) so I'm happy to have a couple of extra days off!

There are plenty of people in other jobs not able to get into work at the moment, and also plenty of others walking miles to make sure they do!!!

[Highlander]

Jules - it's a little late and I must refrain from getting on yet another of my high horses.

But here's a really stupid suggestion. When the weather is bad and the kids are correctly told to stay at home on Health & Safety grounds, get the Head to email all of his/her staff and tell them to get into work because an In-Service Day as been brought forward while the kids are off.

[Highlander]

quote:Originally posted by julesbob0303

Where's your response gone H?  It makes my reply below look even more nonsense than it possibly is!!!!  Anyway, here goes:-

How many parents would keep their kids off though because of the weather, worrying about travelling etc?  And how many kids would truant to play out in the snow?  We don't see much of it (thank god!) especially in our area.

Teachers could struggle to get into work, travelling 50+ miles, congesting the roads further, to teach classes with half the kids missing.

I personally would not keep my kids home if school was open - I also believe they should be in school.  Unfortunately (and I deal with parents every day of the week) a lot of parents don't think the same as I do.

Again, only my opinion.  And I can understand what you are saying H.

Certainly not my fault that I have been told to stay home today and tomorrow!  I am only support staff, paid a pittance (not for any of the 13 weeks holidays each year - they are all unpaid) so I'm happy to have a couple of extra days off!

There are plenty of people in other jobs not able to get into work at the moment, and also plenty of others walking miles to make sure they do!!!

Jules - deleted my response because I'd let my mouth open before giving my brain a chance to engage - a common fault.

I can see the arguement regarding the kids and Health & Safety grounds but not when it comes to adults.

If the authorities consider it prudent tom close the school to kids, so be it, but that should not stop the teachers going in and working on things that they would not normally have the time to work on.

Rant over.

PS I well remember "upsetting" you previously on here regarding unpaid holidays and you putting me straight on the matter, so do enjoy your couple of "extra" days.

[heather07]

In defence of teachers they already work over their contracted hours when they take marking home so I am sure they are not sitting at home idly.  No point going into school if they can work from home.
Could it be that it is easier to  shut a school rather than try to phone hundreds of parents to come and collect children if weather does turn severe.
I remember being sent home from school in bad weather because half the class stayed out of the village above the snow line.  They and teachers had to go home for safety reasons and the rest of us benefitted:D

[Gorgeous_bird]

quote:Originally posted by heather07

In defence of teachers they already work over their contracted hours when they take marking home

Like they didn't know that they would have to do that when they trained as a teacher

[heather07]

I am sure they did GB.  It doesn't mean to say it is right.

[Pompeylil]

Heather07 I agree with you completely, I am the school office admin and I know for a fact that if our school had opened then only 50% of the children would have made it in, some ringing with lame excuses to say that their children were ill, some ringing in honestly saying that its snowed and they are all going out to enjoy it as a family....
If my school opens I can leave one daughter here at home, but the younger one would still have to come with me, how many other teachers, support staff, office admins have their own children and would have to take them in they do not have family or friends to help them out.

I too am enjoying the extra days with my family - we have been to the pub for lunch and sleding - something which we have not done before here in Hampshire - sleding that is....

A friend who is a deputy head at a local village school which was also closed met us for one drink at the pub then she went back home to continue with the work she had brought home to do.