School closure
Our aim is always to keep the school open whenever it is safe to do so. However, in extreme weather conditions, we may need to close the school to protect the health and safety of our pupils and staff.
On some occasions, we may operate a shortened school day, with a later start and/or an earlier finish. If this happens, after-school clubs and activities will be cancelled.
We understand that decisions about school closures or delayed openings—especially in snowy weather—are very important for families. Where there has been significant overnight snowfall, we will aim to make and share decisions as early as possible to support childcare and work arrangements. If weather conditions worsen during the school day, we will give as much notice as we can to support the safe collection of children.
The safety of our pupils and staff is always our top priority.
Closure before the start of school
In the event of extreme weather, the Headteacher will assess conditions at the school site and in the local area.
The following arrangements may be used
- The Headteacher and Chair of Governors will decide on closure, aiming to confirm this by 7:30 am, particularly to support families who use the Breakfast Club.
- Parents and carers will be informed via text message, email, and the school website.
- The school website will be updated with any home-learning guidance, where appropriate.
- A prominent message will be placed on the school’s website
- An email and/or text
- Three Counties Radio (92.1FM), Heart (96.6FM) and Radio Verulam (92.6FM) will be informed
Late start to the school day
Where extreme weather can be safely managed, we will aim to make a decision to open the evening before.
If the school remains open but road or weather conditions make travel slower or more difficult, we may:
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Delay the start of the school day
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Extend the registration period to allow for a safer arrival
In these circumstances, the school day will begin at 9.30 am, with registration taking place on arrival.
If a delayed start is in place, families will be informed via text message, email, and the school website.
If the school site cannot be made safe, a decision to close the school will be made by 8.30 am on the day, and families will be notified as soon as possible.
Closure during the school day
If weather conditions worsen during the school day and the site becomes unsafe, the Headteacher may decide to close the school early
Please note that staff will also need to travel home safely, so we kindly ask parents and carers to prioritise collecting their children as soon as possible.
If conditions deteriorate significantly while pupils are already in school
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Parents and carers will be contacted to arrange early collection
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Pupils will remain safely supervised on site until they are collected, with appropriate staffing ratios in place
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Parents and carers of children attending after-school provision will also be contacted so that alternative collection arrangements can be made
In all cases, even when the school is open, parents and carers must make the final decision about whether it is safe for their family to travel. Late arrival will be understood in adverse weather conditions.
Remote learning
Maple Grove understands that the sudden closure of schools can affect households. Our intent is to keep the learning process going as far as possible. Children should complete the work emailed to them. The learning set should allow children to learn independently, without the specific support of an adult at home or at school. The type of learning set will vary between subjects and be adapted to the circumstances, e.g. practical lessons may involve watching an appropriate documentary.