St Cecilia’s College

Bligh’s Lane, DERRY, BT48 9PJ

Tel 028 7128 1800   Fax 028 7128 1802

Email: office@stceciliascollege.com   Website: www.stceciliascollege.com

This policy outlines the procedures which the college will adopt regarding consideration of school closures during periods of adverse weather conditions.

ADVANCE PREPARATION

·               Bursar will liaise with Interserve FM re facilities and provision

·               Parents will be informed in advance and in writing of school policy and action plan for closure arrangements

·               Sixth Form student list will be compiled with advance permission to leave school in event of school closure; permission list to include siblings accompanied by sixth former; list stored in main office and put on Shared Resources for Form Teacher access

·               Contact list created and details on school web folder for : Met Office, Roads Service, NI Direct, DE, CCMS,  WELB and post-primary principals (Section 6)

·               Leadership Team agree required number of staff and areas of work required to ensure safety of pupils; ratio of staff supervision to number of students.

DECIDING ON CLOSURE

Leadership Team to

·               monitor long-term/short-term weather forecast via media and NI Met Office and new WELB warning codes (Yellow: Be Aware; Orange: Be Prepared; Red: Take Action)

·               consider access roads and approaches to school

·               judge whether the staff:pupil ratio able to access the school provides for pupil safety on site

·               judge, in conjunction with IFM, whether the infrastructure is adequate.

School to close where

·         An extreme bad weather warning has been issued by local media/Met Office and advice given that only essential journeys be taken

·         Ratio of pupils: staff available within school falls below safety level or is likely to do so based on access to school, locality and transport conditions

·         Heating falls below 16 degrees in school

·         No sanitary or drinking water is available

Inform other school principals and seek, where possible, to co-ordinate closures in the local area

COMMUNICATIONS RE CLOSURE

To Staff

If a decision is taken to close the school during the School Day

·               Staff will be informed by the Leadership Team of any changes to normal school day.

If a decision is taken out of school hours not to open the following day(s)

·               Staff will be informed by text message (please ensure mobile numbers are up to date) and C2k email (please ensure that you know how to access C2k emails from home)

·               Information will be posted on School Website (www.stceciliascollege.com), Ceefax Pg 400, Radio Foyle, Q102

To Pupils/Parents

If a decision is taken to close the school during the School Day

·               Students will be informed by the Leadership Team of any changes to normal school day.

·               Students will be allowed to contact parents by telephone to inform them of transport arrangements and/or make arrangements to be collected.

If a decision is taken out of school hours not to open the following day(s)

·               Information will be posted on School Website (www.stceciliascollege.com), Ceefax Pg 400, Radio Foyle, Q102

·               Pre-recorded message for telephone queries which parents can access on the day of closure

·               Pupils will not be informed by text message.

Identified staff member to post information on school website

-          A. McAlister, C. McDaid

Identified staff member to communicate with Radio Foyle

-          K. Gormley, B. Lewis

Identified staff member to communicate with Transport

-          W. Devine, M. Patton

Identified staff member to communicate with post-primary principals

-          K. Gormley, B O’Mianain

SCHOOL REMAINING OPEN

·               Independent Learning Centre/Multi Purpose Hall set up as study/cover centre to accommodate students in absence of teachers

·               School staff likely to be absent from school to inform Principal on evening before or by 7.30 a.m. on day of intended absence/lateness

·               No pupils permitted outside before class, or lunch time

·               Additional supervisors in place during morning arrival and afternoon departure of pupils; arranged by Leadership Team

·               Cleaning staff to mop entrances each hour/ use of warning cones and signs where appropriate

·               Leadership Team monitor weather conditions through local media and Met Office.

EVACUATION OF PUPILS DURING SCHOOL DAY

·               Decision made by Principal and Leadership Team will be announced to staff and students, informing them to go to Form Teacher’s room

·               Form Teacher will take register and record pupils departing

·               Inform other post-primary school principals

·               Student Leadership Team to report to principals’ office / corridor supervision arranged

·               Inform parents by Ceefax, website and local radio

·               Pupils will be permitted to use mobile phones/school phones to contact parents; Form Teacher may release students whose parent comes to collect them or those who have made alternative transport arrangements. Time of release to be recorded.

·               Form teachers remain in class with pupils; check on-line Shared Resources to identify list of students who have permission to make their own way home, prior to allowing students to leave (or, if not available, contact office). Leavers List and Form Class list may be printed and retained in form room.

·               Office contact Form Teacher by phone upon arrival of parents to collect pupils

·               Restaurant informed of potential closure no later than 10.00a.m on day if proposed closure before lunch .

·               School lunch arrangements may be rescheduled

·               Non form tutors to provide supervision of locker areas, restaurant and corridors.

·               Announcement by principal to gather year groups in central location (MPH) once majority of students have left; staff travelling distance permitted to leave premises.

·               Leadership Team and IFM remain in school until all pupils have left / premises check.

Where school closure is likely to be extended beyond one day, premises check to be completed by IFM.

Staff reminded to post work on LearningNI which examination classes can follow during extended period of closure.

2.    Key websites and contact details

www.metoffice.gov.uk                                                NI MET OFFICE

www.roadsni.gov.uk                                                   NI Roads Service

www.psni.police.uk                                                     Police     0845 600 800

michelle.mcswiggan@welbni.org                               WELB  02882411411

curriculum.supportteam@deni.gov.uk                       DENI   02891279533

Alison.Russell@ccmsschools.com                            CCMS 02890393880