Emergency Closure
Emergency Procedures for School Closure
Dame Ellen Pinsent School will only enforce a whole school
closure as a last resort. This might include severe weather conditions, lack of
power or water, flooding or circumstances relating to a pandemic.
In the event that school or specific classes will be closed in an emergency situation, we will send a message via Dojo as soon as possible. We will also put a pop-up box on our school website.
Where transport routes close, we do not have any impact on these decisions; they are made by Green Destinations, taking into consideration the ability and safety of the buses and taxis to navigate the weather conditions on their routes.
There may be instances where the closure decision is made by the local authority. Please see below, the LA communication to schools regarding this.
BCC decision to close all its maintained schools due to severe weather
In extreme circumstances such as very heavy snowfall, the Director for Children and Families, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, may decide to close all schools and centres that are maintained by BCC.
The timing of the decision will be informed by an
assessment of the conditions and forecast. It will also seek to prevent people
making unnecessary journeys.
Headteachers and Heads of Centres will be notified of the
decision via their school email. It will also be announced on the BCC website
and through social media channels.