Monday 2 February 2009

I have just finished the radio interview where Radio Leeds rightly asked why we have closed so many schools today. Actually, compared with 4th December when 140 schools closed, today, with only 85 shut, is progress...

I want to be clear that I don't blame anyone about school closures when the radio and weather are predicting the arrival of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. My question would be could you open and operate with available colleagues to ensure that your children are safe, warm and with you? My worry is that many children will be unsafe, cold and somewhere else as a result of our inability to manage the weather. I think it would be helpful for us to agree a new strategy since the scientists tell us that this is likely to be a thing we see more of in the future.

Happy to discuss this with anyone with a view.
Chris

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more with Chris. What people need to realsie is that it is not just about the children. What about the health and safety of our staff. What we need to remember is that Leeds attracts a large number of teachers fron outside Leeds such as Wetherby, Wakefield, Bradford, York etc.However I do think we need to manage days like today with better communication and clear guidelines for all headteachers and staff. Keep the good work going Chris.

Chris Edwards said...

My view is that we need a snow-day strategy which doesn't count as a normal school day in terms of attendance statistics and where parents and carers understand that we can't do a normal day but that we'll do our best to keep their children and young people happy, healthy, safe and successful... and provide hot chocolate as appropriate!
Chris