This page provides advice advice for parents in the event of a school closure due to adverse weather conditions.
Aberdeenshire Council has a document giving guidance for parents and carers on school closure due to bad weather or other emergency which can be found here. In the event of adverse weather, parents and pupils can check the Aberdeenshire Council website for information on school closures.
Every effort is made to maintain a full educational service. On some occasions circumstances arise which lead to disruption. Schools may be affected by severe weather, dislocation of transport, power failures or difficulties of fuel supply. In such cases we do all we can to let parents know about the details of closure and re-opening. Parents are kept in touch by using letters, by telephone and by local radio. The Rector has complete discretion to close the school in anticipated storm conditions that will put pupils at risk.
In the event of severe snowstorms, emergency arrangements have been organised to ensure that all pupils get home safely or that they are looked after in temporary, alternative accommodation. These include the allocation of duties to Senior Staff and Guidance Staff, a Snowstorm Action Pack, Emergency Bus Lists and Emergency Address Cards. Please also note
- · If pupils have to be sent home early, parents on our Priority Phonecall list are informed beforehand. This list is kept for emergencies. Parents who wish to be included should contact the school office.
- · Individual pupils must never leave the school without first obtaining permission from the office.
- · It is important that pupils do exactly what the staff or the bus driver tells them to do.
- · Parents are advised by letter, in September in the first term of each session, of Snowstorm emergency procedures. Special cards are issued to parents for them to complete and return to school. A practice is held for pupils in late autumn when internal procedures are checked and explained.
Aberdeenshire Council provides the following advice to parents and guardians concerning pupil safety.
- · As a parent your child’s safety is of the utmost importance to you. You will be aware of the need for them to wear appropriate outdoor clothing throughout the winter even when it is fine in the morning.
- · You must decide whether it is safe for your child to travel to school in adverse weather conditions, whether by school transport or on foot.
- · You must provide the school with information about emergency contacts who can be reached if you are not available and keep the Headteacher advised of any changes to this information.
- · You must also advise the school of any changes to your own daytime contact details.
- · If your child lives some distance from school you must make every effort to provide an adverse weather emergency address when asked to by the school.
- · If school transport is not running you must not take your child to school as this may cause problems later in the day.
- · You are responsible for your child’s safety to and from the pick-up/drop-off point.
- · In adverse weather you may make arrangements with the school to pick up your own child directly from school but you must not remove your child without first informing the school.
- · While stressing the need for such safety procedures and the real care and concern taken by staff in school to make sure that pupils are never faced with dangers in transport, it is also important to note that large numbers of pupils travel each day to and from school in safety and comfort.