My colleague Rhona Bignell, Headteacher at Westgate Primary School sent me this e-mail this morning...

"Dear Chris, Westgate has been open every day over the last two weeks, despite this area suffering more than most from snow and ice. This has been due in no small measure to the tremendous effort each member of staff has made to get here and I am very proud of them and of all the children who have also made it here every day through the snow- apart from a handful whose home is much more rural. We have assumed we will get here and have found alternative means of doing so if necessary, instead of assuming bad weather means you can't travel. I can't however guarantee that there will be no occasions in the future when we might have to close! I must also give credit to my caretaker: he has salted Scarborough Road and the school paths every day and this has contributed in no small measure to my ability to stay open. The council grit bin has been essential in this. The council has in recent days, however, taken the decision not to refill the bins or to clear minor roads. I understand the national shortage of rock salt, and appreciate the need for rationing, but I wonder if you could forward this email to the relevant person/ exert any influence over the decision and make a special case again for schools, so we can all stay open. Yours, Rhona."

It is wonderful to hear about the way colleagues are keeping the show on the road against the odds. I am talking to colleagues in the Council about the critical importance of continuing gritting and clearing around our schools and that we must get the salt and grit stocks in schools replenished as soon as possible. Congratulations to Rhona and her colleagues at Westgate Primary School My personal thanks to Patrick Wardman, Rhona's Caretaker, who has clearly been brilliant!

Chris