Good evening families,
As many of you will know, there has been a weather warning issued for our region, from midnight tonight to 7pm tomorrow evening. Heavy rain and travel disruption is cited. Due to the ground being saturated following heavy rain on Monday, and our subsequent decision to close, there is a high risk of flooding once again in our area.
After much thought, we currently intend to STAY OPEN, but I know you’ll all appreciate how difficult these decisions are. I have to weigh up the disruption to the lives of working families and the education of our pupils, against the need to not ask you to endanger yourselves and protect my staff who travel in from considerable distances in many cases.
So, this is our plan of action:
- I will be in contact with our site team and local governors and parents from 630am. They will give me a view of the locality and surrounding roads.
- IF it is deemed that conditions are not safe, we will close and I will notify everyone via Tapestry, website and Class Dojo. Teachers will set specific tasks online for pupils to engage with at home should it be possible to do so.
-IF it is deemed safe and the locality is good, then I will notify families in the same way at the same timings (approximately 650am).
- the hard part: I will be very cautious and mindful of families travelling. I will not be asking you or staff to take risks with conditions. If the weather looks like it was on Monday, and even if it is passable early in the morning, then I will take the difficult decision to close BEFORE SCHOOL BEGINS because we know roads will certainly deteriorate quickly. This is to prevent a repeat of Monday, when many families had to head out in very poor conditions. Our lunches will also be affected at this point, as I know they will be cancelled if BAM think their vehicles and drivers are put at risk. Our taxi services will also be affected.
- If we DO open and you feel your own circumstances in villages etc around us endangers you and your family, then please do not travel. Please email the school office if your child will not be able to attend as we expect our phone lines will be very busy in the morning (but do try) office@thurlbearprimaryschool.co.uk
- PLEASE don’t Dojo me, as I’ll be managing the organisation and will miss messages.
To summarise, we endeavour to open. Once again, I thank you for all your understanding and cooperation with tough days like this. Either decision I make (close now/stay open) has ramifications, so please understand my educational dilemma and stick with us as we get through it!
