On occasions, adverse weather means that the school site is unsafe and poses health and safety risks to the school community. Barnet Wood Infant School policy aims to maintain safe access across the school site as far as reasonably practical within the resources available. The school will always attempt to open in snowy or other adverse weather conditions with a particular view to facilitating work arrangements for essential workers.

The head teacher and caretaker will assess the safety risk to staff and the head teacher/chair of governors will take the final decision as to whether the school will close taking Local Authority advice into account. The following factors will be taken into consideration when deciding whether to open the school:

• Safety of the children
• Safety of the site
• Warmth of the site
• Risk to staff/pupils travelling to the site
• Forecasted conditions and whether parents will be able to collect children
• Numbers of teaching staff able to be on site

Detailed below is the Barnett Wood ‘snow plan’ in the event of heavy snowfall either during the school day or overnight:

PLAN 1 : Snow - but not enough to close the school

If it snows lightly school will be open as usual. We will ensure that the main pathways and pedestrian routes in the school grounds will be cleared and or gritted where possible to create a safe route into school. Since snow is not a regular occurrence we do like to enjoy the snow with the children so we will go outside and play at different times during the day! Please ensure that your child has boots in school and brings fresh socks/tights, school shoes, coat, hat and gloves on days like this.

PLAN 2 : Enough snow that some members of staff will not be able to make it into school

If some members of staff cannot safely make it into school we will attempt to host a ‘skeleton’ staff to welcome children who are unable to stay at home. Children who could stay at home would be recorded as an authorised absence but a phone call to school from you is still necessary. The decision for PLAN 2 will be posted on our website and social media platforms by 7.30am. The school website will be updated by 4.30pm to let people know plans for the next day. It may well be that our caterers will not be able to make it to work either so any child coming in would possibly need a packed lunch.

PLAN 3 : So much snow that school will have to be closed

In the event of extraordinary amounts of snow the decision to close will be taken by 7.15am by the Head Teacher in consultation with Surrey County Council and other local schools. The school website and social media pages will post the decision by 7.30am. The school website/social media will be updated by 4.30pm to let people know if school will be closed the following day or if PLAN 1 OR PLAN 2 will be in operation. The office will also send out an email to parents confirming next day arrangements.

Breakfast Club and Honeybees After School Club:

On any snowy day, there is a strong possibility that we may be unable to open Breakfast Club on time or at all. Similarly, we cannot guarantee that After School Club will open on snowy days and if there has been a heavy snowfall during the day, you should expect that After School Club may have reduced hours or not open at all. We will of course communicate this to parents with as much notice as possible.

It is important for parents to note that we may not always get the decision right. We ask for your patience and goodwill at these difficult times.