Arrangements for Emergency / Early Closure of School
Winter has arrived, bringing icy mornings and possibility of snow. We wanted to let you know about school procedures should the weather change for the worse and impact on school opening and closing.
Please keep these details somewhere handy for future reference – hopefully we’ll not need it but best to be prepared.
Should there be severe weather prior to the start of a school day our School App, Website and Twitter feed will be updated and will let you know of any school closure as soon as this information has been decided. In addition to this, information regarding emergency closure due to snow or flooding will also be available from the following sources: (Please note that Radio Tay will be used in all instances and that this should be the main source of information. The other information services will only be updated in the event that the severe weather is widespread and is not a localised situation.)
The information sources are as follows:
- Radio Tay (used in all instances)
Frequency AM 1161 FM 102.8 - Everywhere else
- PKC Twitter and Facebook – www.pkc.gov.uk/socialmedia
- Goodlyburn School App, Twitter and Website
- PKC Website – www.pkc.gov.uk Closures will be flagged up on the Homepage, or alternatively access the information on http://www.pkc.gov.uk/Schoolclosures
- Perth and Kinross Council Customer Service Centre (Available from 08:45 hours to 17:00 hours Mon-Fri, however this line may operate from 07:00 hours in exceptional circumstances.
School Closure during the School Day
Should the children already be in school and the weather conditions worsen the school will always remain open. Parents may make the decision to collect their child/ren from school early and should come to the School Office if this is their intention. You are the best judge when deciding whether or not weather conditions are likely to cause difficulty or danger for your children returning home.
In the unusual event of the school having to close during school hours, the school office will communicate this by using our Text Messaging Service, our app and email alert, as well as our Website and Twitter accounts, to inform parents /carers of this. Parents should then come to the School Office to collect their child/ren. No child will be sent home to an empty house. The school will not close until the last pupil and staff member has left it.
Entrance to School
Our snow/ice action plan with Tayside Contracts details areas to be cleared and the priority order, Red, Amber and Green.
Red Priority (First)
- Treat/clear path from main entrance to public footpath.
- Treat/clear disabled parking spaces.
- Treat/clear all fire exits ensuring all can safely open.
Amber Priority (Second)
- Treat/clear path from rear gate to breakfast club entrance.
Green Priority (Third)
- Treat/clear path from rear gate to all other pupil entrances.
We will have one entrance and exit into the building kept clear during severe weather conditions.
Our Janitor will attempt to keep a path along the length of the playground clear but if weather is severe all pupils should enter and exit from the school at the main entrance.
A member of the Senior Management Team will be at this door.
All other gates will be open but paths not cleared. Please take care if weather is icy as our paths can be extremely slippery.
Nursery children should also enter through this door during periods of severe weather.
Staff Car Park during Periods of Extreme Weather
Car park will only be cleared when other priority areas have been cleared. Snow clearing and emergency vehicles require access at all times.
Suitable Clothing
Over the coming months we are unsure how or what the weather may do and would like to take this opportunity to remind all pupils that they should come to school suitably dressed for the weather. The children will have opportunities to go outside and play but this may be limited depending on the safety of the playground. Playground staff will assess the playground on a daily basis and determine the activities suitable.
Headteacher
November 2019