Schools: Closures

(asked on 19th January 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will issue guidance to schools on the minimum notice which parents should be given of a decision to close a school due to bad weather.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 27th January 2023

The Department has updated its emergency planning and response guidance, which sets out how education and childcare providers should plan for and deal with emergencies, including significant public health incidents and severe weather. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings.

All education and childcare providers should have emergency plans in place. The plans should detail what providers would do and how they would respond if any temporary actions needed to be taken in the event of an emergency, including severe weather. The aim of an emergency plan is to help providers respond effectively in an emergency, and, where possible, continue to prioritise and maximise face-to-face learning.

The guidance outlines that a good plan should cover how providers would communicate any changes to children, pupils, students, parents, carers, and staff.

Reticulating Splines