Fairlight Primary and Nursery School
Every individual child achieves

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WELCOME TO 2024 WEATHER

 

You couldn't make it up!!

A little bit of snow and we have already had phonecalls from parents wondering if we will be closing or if they can come and collect their children.

Please see below all of the information about bad weather.

Can I say however that the general rule will be we will not be letting parents collect early because its a bit slippery or they don't have a big coat (parents not children).

Also the buses will continue to run and won't suddenly stop and if this is happening we would be told before you. Or your neighbours friends whose Hairdressers dog walker used to work on the buses.

And Whitehawk and Bevendean will still be accessible- they are not closer to the North Pole or Artic Circle than Fairlight.

Not wanting to get scientific but snow is water and melts.

Also the Argus make a living telling you the news. They also do this for the whole of Sussex and so heavy snowfall in North Sussex doesnt mean a thing in Brighton as we are nearer the sea. And not part of the Downs.

And the biggest issue isn't snow it is ice.

And that is a morning thing not a during the day thing.

 

The Key Points from Below:

  • Make sure your child has a proper coat and decent shoes.
  • We won't be closing unless it gets really bad- and probably that would be buses stopping running bad.
  • You can't pick them up early because of a little bit of snow.
  • If we do make any decisions we will PING you.
  • We live in the UK- parents and staff from Poland or Canada laugh at the English when we get a little flurry of snow!!!
A little bit of Snow in Canada or Poland
A small snow flurry

A small snow flurry

SEVERE WEATHER UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024

At Fairlight Primary and Nursery School, we will make every effort to keep the school open in the event of severe weather. 
 
However if it becomes difficult to open the school safely or if staff, parents and pupils are at risk travelling to and from school, then we are left with no option but to close.
 
  • How will I find out? It is essential that we have your up-to-date contact details. When we have made a decision we will messsage using the school messaging system (PING) and also post a message on our school website front page. We will not be letting The Argus or other media know, this is not a priority as we can contact parents directly- they also use our website to find out if we are closed. In the morning, we will make a decision by 7.15am so that parents can begin to plan their day. In the event that the school has to close during the day, we will let parents know via PING, the time we are closing and when we expect parents to collect their children.

  • Can I ring to check if the school is closed or closing? No! We need to keep the phone lines free in case we need to contact individual parents. Also, we cannot ring you if you leave a message asking us to contact you to tell you if the school is closed. Please check your mobile or the website.

  • I might need to come early to collect my child as it's getting bad round my way? Until the school has made the decision to close or to partially close, children will not be allowed to leave early. While we understand that some areas of Brighton are affected in different ways, we have to make a whole school decision. We are constantly updated during the day so we do know if it is worse where you live or if roads are closed. This sort of message is often "rumour" or "scaremongering" and often not correct. 

  • I get the bus and the services are becoming disrupted? Our proximity to the Lewes Road means that transport across the city is a huge deciding factor in us staying open or closed. We are in contact with Brighton and Hove buses as well as the Local Authority every hour before or during bad weather so that decisions can be coordinated.  

  • How can I ensure my child is able to stay warm and dry at school? Children should be sent to school with a suitable coat and footwear. They can also bring extra clothes to change into if the weather is bad on the way to school and we will try to dry or air clothes during the day. In the event that the snow is not too bad, or conditions too icy, we would love to get the children out to play in it.
  • Can they stay in if it is cold or snowing? In simple no unless we have a medical note to say they are unwell. If you have sent them to school in suitable clothing then the best thing would be for them to go out to play in the fresh air. We don't have the staffing to have children staying in at playtime as parents want them to.
     
  • I’m stuck at work so how can I collect my child from school? If we have made the decision to close, then it is also likely that transport across the city is becoming more difficult. Therefore, we recognise that lots of people may be experiencing problems getting to the school. We would ask parents to make every effort to get here themselves or to make arrangements for someone else to collect their child. The school cannot stay open later than normal hours to look after children. The staff, of course, will stay at school to be with the children, however please bear in mind that some staff also live further away and have their own children to collect from school so they will need to leave promptly.
       
  • How will I get into the school safely? It may be necessary for the school to only open certain gates or doors, so please follow any pathways or signs that may be in place, to safely direct you into school. The front door will be open at normal times. We will, of course, try to grit the areas outside school if needed. 

 

  • What learning will my child be expected to do if they are not in school? Teachers will set some home learning in the event that school is closed. This will be placed on the Year Group pages. We will try to make this as easy as possible for children to access. Older children will be directed towards online learning that they can do independently. Younger children may need a little support to access the learning and you may need to take the role of the teacher to help them access this. If all else fails then children should be give reading to do, some spellings, handwriting, times tables and of arts and crafts- who doesn't love making. And of course if the reason we are closed is due to snow then of course playtime in the snow is something we would hope to see also. 

COLD WEATHER INFORMATION

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St Leonards Road, Brighton, East Sussex , BN2 3AJ
01273 601270
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