SEVERE WEATHER PROVISION

Every winter brings the possibility of snow/ice and extreme bad weather can cause widespread and prolonged disruption.

At Lady Boswell’s, we share KCC’s fundamental principle that every effort must be made to keep schools open, even if only limited numbers of pupils can attend. We take any decision to close the School incredibly seriously and recognise that it is important that our School remains open so parents are able to work and pupils can continue to learn in the environment that learning happens best.  However, there are sometimes ‘unavoidable’ circumstances where schools are forced to close where not safe for staff or pupils to be onsite.

We make every effort to prepare for severe snow/ice by ensuring that we have the plans and resources in place to keep the site safe.  Many of the roads around the School are not routinely gritted and safe access to the School site forms a big part of the decision as to whether the School can open safely.  We also have a number of staff who live outside the Sevenoaks local area or in remote surrounding villages that may not be able to make it to School safely in situations of extreme weather.  Furthermore, limited public transport options or the closure of other schools also impacts our decision as members of staff become unavailable due to commitments to the safety of their own children.

Our priority will always be opening the School safely for all.  Steps to avoid school closure may also mean that we open slightly later to allow time for the site to be made safe, provide a staggered entrance time, offer a partial opening due to staffing capacity or withdraw services like Orchard. It may be that the School can open but adjustments may need to be made to the teaching timetable due to staffing considerations. Again, these decisions are never taken lightly.

How will we let you me know if the School is closed?

We would aim to make any decision about School closure as early as possible, however, please be aware that it can take some time for us to gather all the information we need to make the right decision.  We are grateful for the patience and understanding of our parent body on these occasions. Once this decision has been made parents will be notified via the Kent Closures website and email and text message.

To determine whether Lady Boswell’s C.E. Primary School is open or closed please visit www.kentclosures.co.uk  Search for Lady Boswell’s in the search box.

The Kent Closures website can also be used to find out if other services in Kent are open or closed, such as nurseries, children’s centres and libraries. We also recommend parents sign up for SMS/Email alerts on the Kent Closures website.  This service will send an SMS or email alert to let parents know if our School is closed.

Parents can also listen to KMFM, BBC Radio Kent or Heart FM to hear if the School has closed.

For those families who attend The Orchard Breakfast Club, we aim to announce any closure by 7.30 am.  If severe weather is predicted into the evening then the School may make the decision to close Orchard After School Club and we will inform parents of this as soon as we can.

What remote learning provision is made during school closures?

Staff will endeavour to set work for the day via the School’s Google Classroom portal.  This will be live by 10am on the first day of a school closure.

What can parents do to help?

• Please be patient with us during these periods of disruption, we are always working hard in the background to keep the School open and safe.
• Where the School is open with restrictions in place, please do adhere to the directions of the School staff regarding drop off or collection arrangements, including not walking through sections of the School site that have been closed for safety reasons.  Please ensure your children do the same!
• Please visit www.kent.gov.uk/winter for more information about gritting routes and travel issues around Kent so you can plan your journey.  We have contacted KCC on numerous occasions about gritting the two School approaches and encourage you to do so too.
• Please be prepared to provide a packed lunch from home in case we are unable to open the School kitchen.
• Don’t forget suitable warm clothing – gloves, hats, scarves, wellies etc. or even a change of clothing.  A spare pair of socks/tights should be kept in School at all times. Please be advised that in the event of extreme weather, we relax our uniform expectations and in any icy or snowy conditions children’s footwear is an important consideration.
• If you are a working parent or feel you may have a problem with a sudden earlier pick up, it is imperative that you put a back-up plan in place with another family member, friend or parent and inform the School.  Failure to do this may result in staff being stranded and unable to get home themselves.
• Please avoid calling the Office to ask whether the School is closing – please look at the website and Kent Closures first.  We have two incoming telephone lines and need to keep these free for emergencies.  Our Office staff will be busy co-ordinating the early collection of children.
• All children attending The Orchard After School Club must nominate someone locally who is able to collect and care for the children in the event of early closure.
• Make sure that you have your Google Classroom logins and passwords stored somewhere safely for ease of access in case of remote learning.

Where the School is able to open during extreme weather, and where safe, we will endeavour to give the children opportunities to be outside and enjoying the fun that snowy days have to offer.  Please do make sure that they have the appropriate clothing to be safe and warm.  Those without the appropriate clothing to be outside in the snow will be kept inside to stay warm, dry and comfortable.