Full list of school closures - January 2010

“So we've gone from 'some schools' (plural) to 'the school concerned' at the first sign of a challenge then Lionel. Fact and hyperbole do not mix, which is why I won't be taking your talk of 'riotous behaviour' too seriously either. Prideram's observations about Noel Baker have to be a concern though.”

“Non Party. The school concerned is in Nottingham. I worked there when it was closed due to the fear of injuries and riotous behaviour caused by snowball fights. Fact.”

“Noel Baker sent the kids home at 11.30 with no warning to parents, believe it or not but some children actually have both parents at work. There is less snow/frost on the ground now ( 3.40 pm ) than there was when the kids went to school, no wonder Noel Baker struggle in the league tables when they are willing to shut the school at the drop of a hat, some kids have been walking the streets since the school shut. Disgusting”

“Have to agree with Derek. Teachers today, especially senior staff, have to take responsibility for so much more than was once the case. The Compensation Culture together with H&S has left them responsible for everything from the quality of the water supply to pupils being able to make their own way home safely. As for Lionel B's comment... it must be the silliest yet...think you should go and have a sit down and plan some more teacher bashing!”

“Mr. Bronson, I did not copy, cut or retype my comment. I made a completely new comment, some points I may have repeated, but this was not copied.
My point is that we used to brave the weather whatever the conditions. As I say when I was attending junior school in 1963, one of the worst winters on record, my school remained open until 4:30 pm every week day, despite 15 foot snowdrifts along Osmaston Road and the school's toilets being outside and buried under 5 feet of snow. Schools are much better equipped with central heating. I suspect that the schools are closed because parents cannot drive the half mile or so through the snow to the schools. Very few of us had cars in 1963 so we all walked to school come rain, blizzards, floods or gale force winds.
The trouble is that we now live in a disinfected, cotton wool wrapped society that hides at the first sign of a sneeze or a snowflake.”

“Geoff, firstly, I make sure my child dresses according to the weather ie: vest, teeshirt, schoolshirt, blazer, jacket/sweatshirt, coat hat, scarf and gloves in this weather.
Given school finishes at 3pm, hardly dark enough to need lighting, all children HAVE to wear blazer all day and could also put on coats as they carry them all day long.
My child is in fact my grandson and I retired to care for him so I don't have to take a day off to look after him.
Schools didn't close when snow was waist high, toilets frozen as they were outside, they used portable heaters for warmth and we wore our coats hats and gloves. None of this "ooh no heat/light shut the school" teachers just got on with teaching us, no matter what the weather threw at us.”

“And I thought Teachers lived at the school, a little pull down bed in the corner of the classroom! I hope my son's school is closed tomorrow, gives me the excuse to pull one in from work and spend time making snowmen and snowballs.”

“In the event of poor weather, teachers are obliged to report to their nearest school.If more did this, many more schools would be sufficiently staffed, thus reducing the need to close schools due to a lack of teachers.”

“I think some people also fail to realise that not all teachers live near the schools they work. My partner is a deputy-head at a school in Chesterfield, we live Barrow-on-Trent. She made it in to work today, only to get to school for 0715 to find after an hour 10cm of snow and less than half of the staff in school. Trust me, heads dont like to close schools, but when you cant get all the staff in and there being so much red tape with 'compensation Britain' - aka people sueing people for anything, then it's no wonder schools close.”

“Angela, so the school is meant to carry on regardless of having no power. I'm sure you'd be the first to complain if your child returned from school with hypothermia or some other illness as a result of exposure to the cold! Health and safety want shutting down fast? Firstly Health & Safety aren't an organisation, it is legislation. Secondly, although H&S does go too far, in general, it is there to protect the welfare of the general public! Get off your high horse and look at the bigger picture. 1 or 2 days off school is not going to "disrupt your childrens education" - it will give them a couple of days extra holiday which Im sure they are overjoyed about and give you a good excuse to take a day off work to look after them too.”