Travelling to School during Adverse Weather

​​You can access The Highland Council’s school closures website by clicking this link http://www.highland.gov.uk/schoolclosures

A decision on closure is made by the Head Teacher based on multiple factors to avoid further disruption and mitigate any potential risk. Factors considered include:

- Safety of the school site: Assessment of conditions within the school grounds and building (e.g. heating, water supply, ice/snow on paths).

- Travel conditions: Advice from transport operators regarding the safety and accessibility of bus routes.
- Staff availability: Ensuring adequate supervision and a safe pupil-to-staff ratio, as transport issues may affect staff too.
- Forecasted weather: Monitoring weather predictions to determine if conditions are likely to improve or deteriorate during the day.

If the decision is made to close the school or if there are significant transport implications, we will endeavour to inform you as early as possible.

Communication Methods

We will use the following methods to communicate any closures or transport issues:

Text Message (SMS): A text message will be sent to all parents/carers using the mobile contact details we have on record. It is vital that you ensure we have your most up-to-date contact information.

Social Media: Updates will be posted on our official Facebook page.

The Highland Council Website: Closures will also be listed on the Highland Council school closures website. https://www.highland.gov.uk/schoolclosures

During the School Day

If weather conditions deteriorate during the school day and a decision is made to send pupils home early, we will follow the same communication procedures. We will not send any child home unless we are confident they have a safe means of travel to reach their home or an alternative safe address. Please ensure the school office has an alternative, nearby emergency contact address and number for your child in such events.
We appreciate your understanding and co-operation in ensuring the safety of all members of our school community during periods of adverse weather.

For Pupils using School Transport

Parents should note that the final decision on whether it is safe to operate rests with the driver of the school transport vehicle. Therefore there may be occasions on which a school is open but some routes, or parts of routes, are unable to operate.

Parents should advise their children on how long they should wait at the pick-up point for their transport. During adverse weather conditions no pupil is expected to wait longer than twenty minutes past the normal “pick-up” time.

Morning journeys may be delayed by an hour if road conditions are unsafe at the normal journey time but have improved within the hour. Before pupils return to a pick-up point parents should check for updated messages from their school. Please note that for some routes the transport operator may contact the parent directly.