Why can't these bloody schools open?

[Deleted User X18H]

My hero. Still, will you have the time then to post some more attention seeking thoughts ?

If I had some work and the only thing stopping me was snow, it wouldn't!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

What school did you go to H B & B?

He went to Hove Park

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Good point and to be honest I did not realise that kids travelled that far to get to school in Brighton and Hove, I come from the aforementioned era.

But perhaps the school should be opened by teachers from Hangleton, Portslade and Hove for the kids from Hove, Mile Oak, Portslade and Southwick.

:

Nice idea, but the problem is, whats to stop Gary Glitter turning up at school X and saying "I usually teach at School Y but can't get in, so I'll help out with the children here (many of whom will also be unknown).

 

[The Peanut Roaster]

The Neville/Blatch Mill

 

[Deleted User X18H]

What school did you go to H B & B?

Mowden then Lancing College was the suggested path. The reality was West Blatch and Hove Park.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

He went to Hove Park

Yeah but we didn't hold hands or nuffin.......................that was me and Matty

 

[Deleted User X18H]

I notice the two nearest me The Mowden and The Windelsham are both open! Funny that.

 

[KZNSeagull]

yes they did. at least mine and nearby ones out in deeper Sussex were often closed for snow. they often had large catchment areas and presumably teachers from wider area who couldnt make the journey.

is this the underlying problem, both for schools and business impacted in the south east: our commuter culture where just about everybody seems to travel 10, 20+ miles to get to their place of work?

Fair enough. I remember our school was never closed, but those that travelled in from rural areas sometimes did not get there. (I went to school in Cuckfield).

Commuting has been happening for a while though and the only time I remember not being able to get to work was the day after the hurricane when the trains were not running (I could not drive then and commuted from HH to Brighton). I never, ever heard of offices closing completely though, but maybe they did.

I just still find it very strange that a bit of snow can cause so much chaos and disruption in the UK, but then I am still bitter that the flight I was getting when I emigrated out here was delayed 24 hours because of 1/2 an inch of snow!!

 

[Dr Q]

Nice idea, but the problem is, whats to stop Gary Glitter turning up at school X and saying "I usually teach at School Y but can't get in, so I'll help out with the children here (many of whom will also be unknown).

There are supposed situations where teachers can turn up at their nearest school if there is disruption and assist with teaching (Gary Glitter scenario mentioned above I hope doesn't happen!). Problem is, certainly around our way, pretty much all the schools shut. Most teachers don't live anywhere near the school they teach, quite sensibly (no way we'd live anywhere near the cnuts my missus teaches), so walking in ain't an option.

Then again, now they've opened, none of the kids are turning up. My missus school has about 2/3rds of kids off at present. I blame the parents

 

[Theatre of Trees]

I notice the two nearest me The Mowden and The Windelsham are both open! Funny that.

Would that be the same Mowden that says it is shut on their website? Link

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Because their teachers can't get there, I know because my niece is just one.

Bit young to be a teacher surely?

 

[Tomo1794]

My school opened for my Year 11 mocks yesterday and today and the 6th form had to come in today as well. However years 9 and 10 have had wednesday, thursday and friday off, which just makes everyone else feel hard done by!

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

MY fiancee teaches at Shoreham college and they have opened today. Apparently though there are more teachers than students in!

 

[Brovion]

I'll just repeat what I put on the other thread which is another reason why schools close and stay shut these days when they didn't in the past:

My mum is on the Board of Governors of a West Sussex school. In a previous cold spell the headteacher, at great effort, kept the school open when a lot of others in the area closed. What with transport problems etc attendance wasn't great - and they then got marked down by OFSTED as their attendance figures had worsened! Consequently they now shut at almost the first sight of a snowflake. A closed school doesn't impact the attendance!

Tail wagging the dog. Again.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Probably HASWA (1974) etc.

 

[ward is god]

As a Headteacher I can tell you without doubt that if it was safe to open I would. My school is situated in a no-through lane at the top of the hill. On Tuesday I rang the local council to get them to deliver a grit bin and some grit so we could try to keep the road open but they said their priority was on the main roads. Nearly all the children come from outlying villages and need to be driven in - the road is an ice-rink and I dread to think what would happen with 215 children trying to get to school. Many of them can't get out of their houses at the mo anyway. My staff have been digging out their cars and are willing to walk to main roads to catch a taxi or meet with staff lucky enough to live on a main road to come in. On the first day of the snow I made the decision to close on the morning but for the next two days it has been mid afternoon so that parents have time to make arrangements - it is obvious conditions were only going to worsen overnight so why wait? I am so conscious of the impact on working parents - however, they have been very understanding.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Of course if all the kids were allowed to go to their NEAREST school, more could walk.

The wonderful LOTTERY SYSTEM, however, has put paid to that...

Also closing schools down and therefore reducing school places, like Stanley Deason in Brighton.

 

[Albion 4ever]

Do kids not do anything dangerous at school anymore? What happens if a practical science lesson goes wrong and someone gets hurt? What happens if a child is injured playing sport?

I'm a teacher and was informed just before Christmas that we cannot teach contact in Rugby unless we had a RFU qualification. As no-one is our Department is suitably qualified we have taken the decision to not bother teaching it until one/all of us gets the qualification.

On the topic title, again it is down to Health & Safety issues that alot of schools are shut. Kids will be kids and if they see snow/ice they will throw it and there will be a chance of an injury, or slipping over and breaking a bone. It only takes one parent who fancies earning a quick buck to sue the school to force the school's hand.

Unfortunately it is the world we live in now, so can we stop the "it did not happen in my day" quotes as it boring and (unfortunately) we cannot turn the clock back. Back in the day there were not many specialist no win no fee personal injury solicitors - now there are 1000's of them!

 

[Gazwag]

Of course if all the kids were allowed to go to their NEAREST school, more could walk.

The wonderful LOTTERY SYSTEM, however, has put paid to that...

Lottery system has nothing to do with it in Bexhill. We have two schools, one which is a Catholic run one and ships catholics in by free bus/train from up to 20 miles away and only lets very bright non catholics enter to keep up its good marks. This school is 100 metres from my house. The school my daughter has no choice but to go to is a couple of miles away. Segregation is alive and well in Bexhill.

 

[Gwylan]

I'll just repeat what I put on the other thread which is another reason why schools close and stay shut these days when they didn't in the past:

My mum is on the Board of Governors of a West Sussex school. In a previous cold spell the headteacher, at great effort, kept the school open when a lot of others in the area closed. What with transport problems etc attendance wasn't great - and they then got marked down by OFSTED as their attendance figures had worsened! Consequently they now shut at almost the first sight of a snowflake. A closed school doesn't impact the attendance!

Tail wagging the dog. Again.

Now there's an interesting example of unintended consequences. That's rather shocking though and another example of how Ofsted would be one of the first organisations to be closed down if I ever became dictator of the UK.

First Crapital take a similar approach: a train that's cancelled doesn't appear on the lateness stats, so it's better to cancel it altogether. Which is why it looks like the company is running an excellent service, despite what the poor commuters think - First Crapital would, of course, be the first organisation abolished under my dictatorship.