School closures in Staffordshire due to snow UPDATE

“"flied through the weak and feeble excuses..." well, John, that makes sense! Well done on your law degree. You will know then all about health and safety, won't you? If you can't keep children safe, then schools mustn't open. After all, there was an amber warning across Staffordshire. On another point, however, there were few children who actually turned up at school yesterday in the first place; many parents kept them home. Was that the teachers' fault? Were they supposed to go to every child's house and pick them up? You just have a bitterness against teachers; that's clear from your posts.”

“Sorry to disappoint you John, but I'm not a teacher.
My knowledge of the procedures stems from when my children were at school and it seems it's correct judging by Spa58's comments.
FYI, I hated school (comp), but it was the 70s and the teachers were dreadful.
My children went to a local primary and comp and some of the teachers at both were brilliant, so I try not to generalise based on my own experiences.
I don't know why you think that teachers 'think that they are a special case'.
It's one day in god knows how many years that so many schools have closed, even the UHNS cancelled all non-urgent appointments, if you want to teacher-bash, knock yourself out.

I've no idea why you would be looking at the work of 20 year-olds, unless you're a lecturer in law or suchlike, but there are plenty of bright kids leaving school and plenty who are not so academically-minded, just like there always were.
Unfortunately, the world has changed and all the kids who would have worked in pits, pots and steel now have to compose CVs for work that they probably aren't suited to, or want to do.
To me that's a tragedy, but it's not the teachers' fault.

I'm not elitist either, my first job was as a labourer on a potbank.”

“Aney01 Don't agree with your point re safety at all. Notwithsatanding that they should be in the school in any case.... the kids in Brough park spent all the day sledging, snowballing and larking around whilst their teachers were in the pub. Shame they couldn't have got out of the pub and collected them to take them to the school which is about 6 streets away.... that was the subtle point I was making and there is no 'so what' about it. They can go sledging tommorrow and that is fine by me.
So yes... I would have liked them to have collected their pupils and do what they should have been doing. Teachers should not think they are a special case because they are not. And as for some member of staff staying until the children are picked up well... that is what you are paid for.
You sound like you have flied through the weak and feeble excuse module during your teacher training and for that I pity your pupils.....”

“We had to go work today in school because the students had an exam. As it turned out, hardly any kids turned up, so those that did werent interested in doing any work. As the weather got worse, it was decided they could go home, so we went round each room informing them and stayed there until every single one had gone, or was sorted with a lift home, or had arrangements made for them. Only then were us staff allowed to try and make our way home, by then the roads were bad, some of them closed. I didnt spend my afternoon in a pub! I waited for my own kids, hoping they would get back home safely, which thanks to Bakers Coaches, they did. Its up to the headteacher of each school to make a decision as to the closure, if the staff dont turn up, they lose a days pay. Love my job, shame more kid didnt come in. The thanks i get is rock hard snowballs chucked at my windows all night!”

“I work in a school and the majority of us staff made it in today because some of the kids had an exam. Only a small number of kids actually turned up so it was more a case of just looking after them. When the weather got much worse it was decided they should go home, so we went through the school telling them they could go, and made sure that every single one of them could get home or could make a phone call to arrange to get home. Only then, did us staff struggle back on foot and by car, finding roads closed. I walked quite some distance to get home today and then waited for my own kids to make their way back. Certainly wasnt a cushy day off for us, and we put the students first!”

“@Clem51
I think you'll find that in the majority of cases, when a school closes, it's because of consideration for the children's safety and not because 'the teachers didn't turn up for work'.
When a child's parents can't pick them up then it's common for one or more teachers to stay and look after them, for the remainder of the day if necessary.
They don't all head off to the pubs in Leek, although @johncorserine, if they did, so what? Once the decision has been made to close the school, what would you like them to do?”

“My last comment -(Update) was put on just after 4pm (old post.. disappeared in the mists of time) -and reinstated here.”

“"Update:
Just been listening to Radio Stoke, who broadcast an interview with a spokesperson for Potteries FIRST Bus. who had re-instated four Services (4pm) after suspending ALL SERVICES at 2pm.
The four Services re-instated were, Nos. 6; 18; 32; and 34.

Now I know that some drastic action had to be taken because to the atrocious conditions -but TAKING ALL OF THEM OFF? No Buses at all on any route?

I can understand all the lesser used roads being impossible, such as those at the 'back of' Talke; Kidsgrove; Weston coyney; Bentilee; Blurton; Sneyd Green; etc and all such places 'off the beaten track, but I find it difficult to believe that 'main routes' would not have been passable?

The 'old A50' through the Potteries -from Meir to Longon; Fenton; Vicky Rd to Hanley; to Burslem; Tunstall -and to say -ending at Golenhill (if the notorious Kidsgrove was impassable).

Likewise... A52 from Newcastle via Hartshill to Stoke -must have been passable? Hartshill Bank has 'historic priority status' (on the A52) -because of its direct link to the Hospitals.

City Rd -leading from Stoke town centre to Fenton (A5007) is a major route and the No.26 First Bus Service uses this main road on its route from Newcastel/Stoke -to Longton Meir.

Surely these roads were passable throughout the day? Far better to get people to the 'key' nearest points on the MAIN RD NETWORK -than to make a 'blanket suspension' of ALL Services.

In that way -at least, the travelling public using Public Transport -could make their final leg of their journey home either on foot -or possibly by Taxi/Private Hire.

On the latter point (Taxis) -it has come to my attention that even Hackney Carriage 'meter' priced fares -cand CHARGE WHAT THEY WANT WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE CONSIDERED TOO BAD TO WORK -Sort of an 'expensive charity emergency service'. ??!!??

I 'phoned the City Council and asked them to 'clarify' the position re this ambiguous state of affairs. I was told that iot would not be possible to do that, because the Council Phone lines were only 'dealing with emergencies..... ?!!?

Hope you all got home without too much trouble. Now go and get the sledge out -Flood-Lighting at Parkhall Country Park 'sledging slopes'."”

“by Fair-Comment
Friday, January 18 2013, 9:40AM

"When I were a lad,the only time the school closed was if the boiler broke down,nothing to do with the snow!
ps,I'm talking about the 70's/80's" -Unquote.

You mean you had a Boiler ....
ps our school never closed -I'm talking about 1942-53 (when ar went Skoo)”

“by james208
Friday, January 18 2013, 12:09PM

"Hospitals, police and ambulance stations open; trains and buses running". Unquote.

At 2pm today FIRST BUS AND BAKERS took off ALL BUSES. ALL BUSES -ALL ROUTES CANCELLED.
At 4pm FIRST BUS re-assessed their decision and re-instated four routes (only) -They were:-

Service Nos.6; Hanley-Meir Park: (they didn't state whether 6B to Blythe Bridge was included): 18; Hanley-Leek via Sneyd Green/Baddeley Gr) 32; Hanley-Cheadle-Tean-Uttoxeter; (they didn't include the No.32A -via Cheadle/Alton/Rocester): 34; Hanley-Festval Park-Newcastle-Chesterton-Wood Lane-Audley; (they didn't say whether the No.34A was included --via Red St; Talke Pits to Kidsgrove)......
That was told to Radio Stoke Listeners at 4pm by a FIRST BUS Spokesperson. No idea what's happened since?”