Guidance on a Temporary School Closure Introduction Closures related to severe weather, site issues or exceptional circumstances should be reported via the notification box on the secure area of . Schools are no longer required to contact the Schools Communication Team. How does the notification system work? Your school submits a notification via the secure area on Essex Schools Infolink. Once a notification is submitted it is instantly displayed on the Emergency Closures page on the Essex County Council website. You can submit a notification either on the day or the day before the closure. Closures for the next day will only display from 6pm the day before. Closures can be submitted by any colleague with secure access with a valid username and password. It is recommended to arrange a process with colleagues so that only one notification is submitted and that colleagues have access to their log in details at home and at work. Once a closure is submitted it is difficult to remove it from the Essex County Council website please take care when – submitting a notification to ensure it is correct. Who should decide whether to close the school? The County as a whole can experience severe or exceptional weather from time to time, though conditions can vary considerably from one area to another and for this reason the responsibility for on decisions about an individual school’s organisation any particular day rests with the Headteacher. The Local Authority does not closure of individual schools. ‘approve’ temporary Whilst schools should only be closed as a last resort (on grounds of severe weather or for other serious reasons, such as a funeral), it is for the to decide whether or not to close the school, having due regard for health and safety considerations, as well as the implications for parents who may have to arrange childcare. Schools are expected to be open for pupils on 190 days each year. The Head may wish to discuss the situation with the Chair of Governors, especially where the proposed closure is decided in advance.
Guidance on a Temporary School Closure Introduction Closures related to severe weather, site issues or exceptional circumstances should be reported via the notification box on the secure area of . Schools are no longer required to contact the Schools Communication Team. How does the notification system work? Your school submits a notification via the secure area on Essex Schools Infolink. Once a notification is submitted it is instantly displayed on the Emergency Closures page on the Essex County Council website. You can submit a notification either on the day or the day before the closure. Closures for the next day will only display from 6pm the day before. Closures can be submitted by any colleague with secure access with a valid username and password. It is recommended to arrange a process with colleagues so that only one notification is submitted and that colleagues have access to their log in details at home and at work. Once a closure is submitted it is difficult to remove it from the Essex County Council website – please take care when submitting a notification to ensure it is correct. Who should decide whether to close the school? The County as a whole can experience severe or exceptional weather from time to time, though conditions can vary considerably from one area to another and for this reason the responsibility for decisions about an individual school’s organisation on any particular day rests with the Headteacher. The Local Authority does not ‘approve’ temporary closure of individual schools. Whilst schools should only be closed as a last resort (on grounds of severe weather or for other serious reasons, such as a funeral), it is for the to decide whether or not to close the school, having due regard for health and safety considerations, as well as the implications for parents who may have to arrange childcare. Schools are expected to be open for pupils on 190 days each year. The Head may wish to discuss the situation with the Chair of Governors, especially where the proposed closure is decided in advance.
Guidance%20on%20a%20Temporary%20School%20Closure.docx