Information for Parents and Pupils
In the event of adverse weather conditions, it is possible that the school may have to close, sometimes for the day, in which case a decision will usually be taken early in the morning.  However, occasionally, if conditions seriously deteriorate during the course of the day, a decision may be taken to close school early in the interests of ensuring that students and staff get home safely.

Early Morning School Closure Decision
The decision about closure will be made by the Principal and students should not decide for themselves that school is ‘closed’.  When deciding whether to close the school, the following are taken into consideration:

• Which buses, if any, are running (this decision is made by the bus companies and not the school):
• Whether sufficient staff will be able to get to school to supervise pupils safely;
• The probability of conditions worsening, so making journeys home very difficult, e.g. buses are cancelled.

If we do need to close the school, we will make an announcement on the school website and send a message via Edulink to parents. We would ask parents and pupils to refer to the website, rather than telephoning the school.   The announcement will be clearly visible on the home page of our website.  When reading this information, please check the date carefully. It is unusual for us to know the day before that the school will definitely be closed and the decision about closure is usually made by 7.15am at the latest.

Students will then be required to attend lessons on Microsoft Teams. A communication will be sent to all students by 8.20am, through an  email,  to inform them of how the day will proceed.   They will need to be ready for learning by 8.30am, and the day will follow the normal structure, unless they are notified otherwise.

Students taking Public Examinations
Even if buses are not running and the school is closed, we will make every effort to make special arrangements for students taking public examinations. Where possible, these students are asked to make private arrangements to come into school as it may not be possible to re-sit these. These exams will take place in the school hall and students should enter using the main entrance.

Closure during the course of the School Day
If a decision is taken to close early, following consultation with bus companies and, if appropriate, the Local Authority, a bulletin will be posted on the homepage of the school website confirming the time the school will close.  We will send text messages to parents on their mobile phones. Please ensure that we have up-to-date records, so we can rely on reaching all parents by this method.

During school closure students will be required to follow their timetable as normal attending lessons via  Microsoft Teams. The day will start at 8.30 and finish at 3.20.