Snow, schools, clearing, etc.

[ericmark]

What a picture of Snowdon has to do with schools closing, I don't know, ask the BBC, but clearly snow is causing problems, just been out and blown it off my drive so safe for postman etc. Leaf blower does a great job.

We expect post, milk, bins, etc, to be affected by the snow, but why would schools close? It has a knock on effect, schools closed, so parent can't go to work, and I remember as a boy come what may, we still went to school, unless something like the boiler failed, everyone walked to school, and snow would need to be one foot or more, before it stops us walking.

Mother talked about walking to Chester, 8 miles from Shotton where she lived, as buses not running in the snow, to get to work, her problem was day two when shoes not dry from day one.

One would expect trains to have more of a problem to buses, but seems the other way around. I can understand some people may not be able to get to school, so lessons may need to be swapped so they don't miss vital lessons, or even classes doubled up where a teacher can't get in, but to close them, that does seem a bit extreme?

 

[crystal ball]

Quite often it is lack of staff, there are rules regarding staff to pupil ratio

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Down this way they usually say that a lot of the teachers who are parents themselves also need to be at home for their kids so as well as blaming transport links many teachers cannot attend anyway.

 

[ericmark]

Down this way they usually say that a lot of the teachers who are parents themselves also need to be at home for their kids so as well as blaming transport links many teachers cannot attend anyway.

This is the problem, we have a knock on effect, parents need to stay at home to look after children, so everything slows down due to lack of labour. Be it nurses, doctors, shop assistants, does not matter, whole country is brought to stand still because schools have closed.

 

[crystal ball]

This is the problem, we have a knock on effect, parents need to stay at home to look after children, so everything slows down due to lack of labour. Be it nurses, doctors, shop assistants, does not matter, whole country is brought to stand still because schools have closed.

I doubt the whole country is at a standstill

 

[ericmark]

I doubt the whole country is at a standstill

OK, not standstill, but very much slowed down. I have only a dusting of snow, blown away with the leaf blower in a few minutes, but roads are deadly silent, not mail of any kind, no milk, and would not want anyone to take risks, so not worried about no milk etc.

But salt works by when the snow is compressed under tyres, it melts slightly, so salt can get into the water, no traffic, and salt does not work, grit may help, but once the local school closes, traffic seems to reduce, well do get visitors to local heritage railway, but that's now closed until Easter.

So close the school, and everything slows down, to nearly a standstill. There is the odd tractor or wagon, but very few.

 

[crystal ball]

OK, not standstill, but very much slowed down. I have only a dusting of snow, blown away with the leaf blower in a few minutes, but roads are deadly silent, not mail of any kind, no milk, and would not want anyone to take risks, so not worried about no milk etc.

But salt works by when the snow is compressed under tyres, it melts slightly, so salt can get into the water, no traffic, and salt does not work, grit may help, but once the local school closes, traffic seems to reduce, well do get visitors to local heritage railway, but that's now closed until Easter.

So close the school, and everything slows down, to nearly a standstill. There is the odd tractor or wagon, but very few.

Just been into town to pick up Mrs CB, everything seems normal, we had snow last night

 

[SPLINE]

In situations such as this, teachers should be sent to work at the school closest to where they live.

 

[ellal]

This is the problem, we have a knock on effect, parents need to stay at home to look after children, so everything slows down due to lack of labour. Be it nurses, doctors, shop assistants, does not matter, whole country is brought to stand still because schools have closed.

A lack of labour you say...

Back in the day (pre 2016) it didn't seem to be as much of an issue...

And it couldn't have been down to net immigration because the numbers were much less back then...

Maybe something to do with freedom of movement being a two way thing?

The UK does seem to have shot itself in the foot (maybe both feet?) somewhat

 

[ericmark]

Colvid showed large schools don't work, and this light snow shows the same, schools need to be local.

 

[charliegolf]

The analogy is 'why does Abu Dhabi airport NOT have snow ploughs?' Because they cost about half a mil each + maintenance, and they will likely never get used. Why do we not simply clear every road and pavement ALL the time in the snow? Same reason. Two or three days a year is no justification for the cost. Just factor it in.

PS I was a head of primary schools for 20 years. I closed early one day, but never closed in advance.

PPS we decided logically, we needed: Heating; kitchen; and staff to open. Nothing else.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

We expect post, milk, bins, etc, to be affected by the snow, but why would schools close? It has a knock on effect, schools closed, so parent can't go to work, and I remember as a boy come what may, we still went to school, unless something like the boiler failed, everyone walked to school, and snow would need to be one foot or more, before it stops us walking.

I only ever walked to the schools I attended, and don't recall ever missing a day due to weather, despite the snow being more common, plus deeper in my day. I do remember, if teachers couldn't get in, they would double up on classes, and find something to keep us occupied, but shut the school - never!

Closing entire schools, would simply have a massive effect, if both parents worked, as mine did back then, and so wasn't even an option. Even when the heating broke down in mid-winter, as it often did, the school opened, and you continued in wearing your coat.

Likewise at work, and often working all over the UK, I would always manage to get there under my own steam, no matter what the weather did, and in my early days, on a motorbike, arriving sometimes frozen.

 

[securespark]

Just been into town to pick up Mrs CB, everything seems normal, we had snow last night

Are you N, S, E, W, or Wales, West Country, Scotland or beyond?

 

[IT Minion]

Colvid showed large schools don't work, and this light snow shows the same, schools need to be local.

Local schools are great, if the teachers are also local. If you've got a catchment area of half a mile then there's a very good chance your teachers are coming from further away.

What you're actually after is 15 minute cities, where public transport can make sure that key facilities like schools are accessible.

 

[IT Minion]

I only ever walked to the schools I attended, and don't recall ever missing a day due to weather, despite the snow being more common, plus deeper in my day. I do remember, if teachers couldn't get in, they would double up on classes, and find something to keep us occupied, but shut the school - never!

Standards are higher now as are expectations of safety and teaching quality.

There's also differences in how schools are run. Specialist teachers are more likely to work over multiple sites/schools so get hit fat harder by transport issues.

The world had changed, mostly for the better but nothing is perfect.