Snow updates: School closures in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

“Raymond101, I don't think you can judge anything educational considering you are illiterate! Learn to make sense, mate!”

“Raymond101, I don't think you can judge anything educational considering you are illiterate! Learn to make sense, mate!”

“Snow or no snow, lets see how many would have made it into work if they had been told that they wouldn't be paid if they hadn't turned up. You can be pretty sure that this would have the desired effect and the headteacher would know in advance that he should keep the school open as turnout would be near normal.

Guess what, my boss didn't shut my work on grounds of health and safety, nor did he consider my safety in my 40 mile drive to work, nor did I have any problem getting in on time (I got up early), nor did I fall over on the way into work, and imagine this, I wouldn't have been paid if I hadn't turned up to do my JOB. Note the schools are owned by the taxpayer, funded by them and in return they expect maximum effort on behalf of all school employees to attend their jobs in all weathers.”

“If I had have gone into work, then Staffs would have been one firefighter down! Oh and I assure you that I have been preparing!”

“Would you stay at home if you weren't getting paid I doubt it,even if the kids don't go to school the teachers should,maybe do some marking or prepare a lesson,what would we do if doctors,nurses,police,firemen,didn't get to work?”

“...and if one child slips and hurts themself, everyone screams why wasn't the school shut. We as staff have to do what our Head tells us to do, unlike some of the children who will do extremely dangerous things .”

“Let's pretend you are responsible for the safety of, maybe 1500 children and several hundred teachers. You demand they turn up even though police are saying don't travel unless you really have to. What happens if you have several hundred children on site because they can walk round the corner but you don't have enough staff because they are stuck in traffic because of slippy conditions, a jack-knifed lorry, a snow drift? What happens if you have opened the school without adequate supervision? What happens if any one of then sustains injuries because you have made them travel? You have a duty of care for the pupils and staff. You could be sued for compensation maybe even lose your job.
What decision would you make? Remember the decision has to be made on the information available at the time.”

“Let's pretend you are responsible for the safety of, maybe 1500 children and several hundred teachers. You demand they turn up even though police are saying don't travel unless you really have to. What happens if you have several hundred children on site because they can walk round the corner but you don't have enough staff because they are stuck in traffic because of slippy conditions, a jack-knifed lorry, a snow drift? What happens if you have opened the school without adequate supervision? What happens if any one of then sustains injuries because you have made them travel? You have a duty of care for the pupils and staff. You could be sued for compensation maybe even lose your job.
What decision would you make? Remember the decision has to be made on the information available at the time.”

“Let's pretend you are responsible for the safety of, maybe 1500 children and several hundred teachers. You demand they turn up even though police are saying don't travel unless you really have to. What happens if you have several hundred children on site because they can walk round the corner but you don't have enough staff because they are stuck in traffic because of slippy conditions, a jack-knifed lorry, a snow drift? What happens if you have opened the school without adequate supervision? What happens if any one of then sustains injuries because you have made them travel? You have a duty of care for the pupils and staff. You could be sued for compensation maybe even lose your job.
What decision would you make? Remember the decision has to be made on the information available at the time.”

“I think some of the people on this post need a reality check. Teachers DO NOT live inside the the school. They have to travel to work just like the rest of us, and some of them of my acquaintance travel a distance much greater than the average Stoke-on-Trent travel to work distance. Some complain of decisions being made to close last night" when there was just a sprinkling" of snow. The decision HAD to be made BEFORE children started arriving at school. If the Head Teacher ( and only they can make the decision) knew that their staff lived outside the area and would have difficulty getting in, they had no choice but to announce a closure the night before the forecast problem. They cannot take the risk of children being left at the school with insufficient staff to ensure their safety.

It is also worth remembering that schools are NOT a free child care facility for working parents. The safety and wellbeing of the children is paramount for the vast majority of teachers.”