Call for Review of School Bad Weather Closures

Cllr Martin Ford, who is the Democratic Independents' education spokesman, and group leader Cllr Paul Johnston have written to Aberdeensire's Interim Director of Education, Learning & Leisure, Jim Anderson (Note 1).

 

Commenting, Cllr Ford said: "The issue here is whether the Council could do more to minimise the impact of bad weather on pupils and parents.  While many of Aberdeenshire's schools reacted well to the wintery conditions, there is concern among parents at the loss of school days due to snow closures.

 

"Both during last winter and last week's early fall of snow there were concerns at the loss of teaching time due to school closures and transport being called off," said Cllr Ford. "In response to these concerns, it is time for Aberdeenshire Council to review how it responds to winter conditions with regard to educating pupils at the Council's schools."

 

Schools with large numbers of pupils with school transport have been badly hit.  Schools normally are closed to school transport pupils when buses are cancelled. Only belatedly were schools accepting transport pupils if they had been transported by other means.

 

Councillor Paul Johnston, leader of the Democratic Independent group, said:

 

"Concerns have been expressed from parents regarding a consistent and clear approach when school transport is not available - especially in

these extended periods of snow."

 

The implementation of GLOW, the school teaching and learning web site has not been fully implemented across Aberdeenshire. A recent report

to the Council's Education Committee has highlighted the problem.

 

"The Education Service should review how it is reacting and consider carefully the implementation of 'snow plans' for each of its schools.

These could cover what work and activities pupils would be doing in the event of school closure or partial closure."

 

While Aberdeenshire has adopted the Government's GLOW project, modern technology is not the only answer to education access during school

closure according to the councillors.

 

"There are many examples of good practice already and a review will

hopefully highlight these and bring them together to improve the

Council's overall response and allay parental concern at the loss of tuition due to winter weather." said Councillor Johnston.

 

Councillor Martin Ford said: "It is common sense to carry out reviews when circumstances change and after two winters with heavy snowfall we

need to be prepared for more."

 

 

Note

 

 

1. Text of Cllr Ford and Cllr Johnston's letter to the Interim

Director of Education, Learning & Leisure:

 

Dear Mr Anderson

We write following recent bad weather and in advance of further snowfall forecast for later this week.

Clearly, at the height of the bad weather many schools had to be closed. Some then reopened very quickly while others took longer. This raises the question as to whether it might have been possible to reopen more schools earlier. Anecdotally, it is being said that some schools were still closed when almost all the parents were having little difficulty getting to their own workplace.

It is clearly desirable to minimise closures caused by adverse weather. Unexpected closures create real difficulties for parents while pupils miss out on time in class. Of course, closures are sometimes unavoidable for health and safety reasons and because staff cannot get to the school, but the Council should obviously do all it can to have as few closures as possible.

It seems clear there is variation amongst schools in regard to how well prepared they are for bad weather. In some cases, we understand there are pre-prepared activities planned that can be used by pupils as the basis for learning on days when schools are closed or partially closed.

We believe the Education Service should review the school closures that took place in response to the recent bad weather with a view to learning from best practice amongst schools. In the light of the conclusions from the review, we ask that the Education Service consider whether guidance to schools on adverse weather should be amended.

Yours sincerely

Cllr Martin Ford and Cllr Paul Johnston