St Benedict's Catholic Primary School

It is our policy that St Benedict’s shall remain open whenever possible.  In the event of very bad weather causing closure of the school, the following will apply;

• If possible, the decision about whether or not the school will close will be made by 7.15am;
• The school will use eSchools to let you know if the school is closed. Both an e-mail and an eSchools notification will be sent via the eSchools app and to your e-mail inbox to let you know if the school is closed.
• We will update the school’s Facebook social media site to advise if the school is closed (https://www.facebook.com/share/14rWKSSWhC/?mibextid=wwXIfr)
• We will update the school’s website with information if the school is closed (St Benedict's Catholic Primary School - Home)
• Somerset Council will also be notified of any school closure at St Benedict’s.
• Please DO NOT telephone the school office for information. There may not be any staff here or we will need the line free for making emergency calls to outside agencies, local authority and to parents.
• The school will remain closed until it is safe to reopen.  We will update parents & carers via eSchools each day to let you know what the situation is.

In the event of unforeseen bad weather, be prepared for the school to contact you via eSchools (e-mail and eSchools notification) and ask for children to be collected early.  If you are not able to collect your child and you are asking another parent to do so please make sure that the school knows of this arrangement.  We will not let any child go with anyone other than their parent (or person who usually collects them e.g. Granny etc.) unless we have heard from you.

Please ensure that your contact details (including e-mail address and mobile phone numbers) are current and up to date in the school office.

Please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the weather – it may be sensible to bring into school wellies (please make sure these are named).

In the event of snow and/or ice, the school will endeavour to ensure that the main entrance at the front of the school will be gritted before staff, pupils and parents arrive at school. Rock salt will be applied to the school gate entrances at both the front of school and at the gate leading from the Centurion Hotel car park.

We will create a footpath leading from the school gate entrances to KS2 playground then to KS1 playground to enable the children to get safely to classrooms.

If the playground is deemed too slippery for the children to play safely, the decision will be made by the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher or a member of the Senior Leadership Team to hold break-time and lunchtime inside until the play surface is safer.  This decision will only be made if we feel there is a risk to the children’s safety.