Dozens of schools across the north-west of England have been forced to close due to severe weather conditions. A recent flurry of snow has transformed into compacted ice, making it unsafe for students and staff. The closures have persisted since the end of the Christmas holidays, significantly affecting local families and students.
Rachel Tomlinson, head teacher of Barrowford Primary School in Nelson, Lancashire, expressed her concerns about the impact of the closures. With a yellow weather warning for ice issued for parts of Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire, the situation remains precarious. The Met Office has also indicated that severe frost and freezing fog are expected to persist over the coming days.
The decision to close schools is never taken lightly by head teachers. Ms. Tomlinson, who has led Barrowford Primary for 17 years, described the process as "awful" and "really stressful." She emphasized that such decisions are compounded by factors beyond their control.
"It's almost the things that are out of our control as well," Rachel Tomlinson said.
Schools like Barrowford Primary have not been able to reopen due to unsafe conditions on school premises. However, Ms. Tomlinson highlighted that considerations extend beyond the immediate safety of school sites. Factors such as transportation difficulties for students and staff also weigh heavily on decision-making.
The recent weather has exacerbated ongoing challenges for schools, which have become less localized than in previous years. The closures add to the growing inconvenience for families who rely on consistent access to education for their children.
"It's been a really long week," Ms. Tomlinson remarked. "It's just awful having to make decisions to close; nobody wants to make those decisions, it's really, really stressful." As the weather warning remains in effect for several days, head teachers continue to grapple with the implications of these closures for their communities.
