School/Nursery Closure and Bad
Weather Procedures
The school/nursery could have an emergency closure due to severe weather or other unexpected circumstances for the two reasons below:
- The school/nursery cannot be accessed / is not safe for children and staff.
- Not enough teaching / support staff can travel in to ensure children’s safety (all reasonable efforts will be made to ensure provision).
A localised decision to close taking into consideration all factors will be made by 7:30am. It could be the case that there is partial opening (possible in the case of depleted staff numbers). The decision will be made by the Headteacher in consultation with the Chair of Governors.
Notification
All reasonable efforts are made to communicate as efficiently as possible.
- The school/nursery websites home page will have a notification saying the school is closed. http://www.sheptonmalletinfants.co.uk/
- There will be closure information sent to the ‘Somerset Learning Platform’ (SLP) https://www.somerset.gov.uk/education-and-families/school-closures/
- Local radio stations report mass closure information regularly (i.e. flooding / snow related)
- BBC – Somerset Sound. 95.5 FM, 1566 MHz
- • Heart FM. 102.6 FM, 97.1 FM (Yeovil Area), 96.5 FM (Taunton Area) https://www.heart.co.uk/news/school-closures/
- • Breeze FM. 100.8 FM, 102.4 FM, or 107.4 FM
- • Tone FM 107.8 FM (Taunton & surrounding areas)
These closure procedures will be followed for each separate day of closure.
We do realise that closing the school/nursery for the day may cause considerable inconvenience to parents and we would only take this decision if it were absolutely necessary.
Back gate winter weather access
For Health and Safety reasons if there is a heavy frost, ice or snow on the ground we will not be opening the gate to the footpath behind the school. We would ask that those parents who usually come into school via the back gate should use the main entrance on Waterloo Road.
Under these circumstances we will also close part of the playground and therefore children in Mrs Maddafords Class and Mrs Glover/Mrs Tomlinson Class will need to use the front door to the school building with the children from other classes.
Please do make sure that we have up to date phone numbers for you throughout the school year.