Dear 222 News viewers, sponsored by smileband,
Scottish Schools Close as Arctic Cold Snap Brings -6 °C Temperatures
A deep freeze sweeping across Scotland has forced around 100 schools in the north of the country to close, as sub-zero temperatures and icy conditions make travel unsafe and strain school systems.
What’s Causing the Closures?
• A Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice is in place for much of northern Scotland, contributing to widespread disruption.
• Overnight, temperatures dropped to around –6.4 °C in some parts of Scotland, such as Dundreggan in Inverness.
• Schools have been shut not only because of the cold, but also due to transport issues, with roads becoming treacherous or even blocked, making commuting unsafe for both pupils and staff.
• In some cases, staff shortages due to the difficulty of reaching schools contribute to decisions to close.
• There are also concerns about school infrastructure, for instance, frozen pipes and heating failures, which make buildings unsafe or uncomfortable.
Council and School Responses
• Local councils and school headteachers are making closure decisions based on real-time assessments of safety. According to school contingency plans, closures may be triggered if key staff cannot travel or if school transport is suspended.
• When schools decide to close early, or not open at all, they communicate with parents via council websites, local media, and text messages.
• In some rural areas, schools have contingency plans for early dismissal: if weather deteriorates during the day, pupils may be sent home early—but only once safe plans are in place for where they will go.
Impact on Communities
• The cold snap is disrupting more than just education: road closures are reported in several regions, and public transport is being severely affected.
• For many families, school closures pose significant challenges — especially in rural areas where alternative childcare may be hard to arrange at short notice.
• The pressure to keep schools open is real, but councils emphasize pupil and staff safety is the top priority.
Broader Context
This is not the first time Scotland’s schools have shut down in a cold snap. Similar closures happened during previous winter weather alerts, when tens or even hundreds of schools were forced to close due to snow, ice, and extreme cold.
Local authorities typically follow severe weather contingency plans, which outline the triggers for closing schools, including impassable roads, insufficient staff, or heating failure.
What Parents Can Do
• Keep up to date with local council alerts — schools will usually publish closures on their websites or via messaging systems.
• Make sure your child’s school has your correct emergency contact details, so you can be informed if there’s a sudden closure.
• If schools stay open but you’re worried about travel, consider whether it’s safe for your child to make the journey — in some cases, it may be reasonable to keep them at home.
The current closures highlight how even relatively moderate-looking temperatures (-6 °C) can have a big impact when combined with snow, ice, and rural transport challenges. The situation is evolving: as the cold snap continues, councils and the Met Office are monitoring conditions closely.
Attached is a news article regarding schools shutting in Scotland due to the cold weather -6c
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crexe25709yo.amp
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
In-- Google tag (gtag.js) --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XDGJVZXVQ4"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-XDGJVZXVQ4'); </script>
<script src="https://cdn-eu.pagesense.io/js/smilebandltd/45e5a7e3cddc4e92ba91fba8dc
No comments:
Post a Comment