PARENTS have been warned of possible school closures as heavy snowfall is forecast for Somerset over coming days.
Letters have been sent to parents to prepare for the worst as the ‘Beast from the East’ has brought sub-zero temperatures to the UK.
‘Prolonged and disruptive’ snow is also forecast for Somerset prompting schools to warn parents that closures are already being considered.
A memo to parents of pupils at Cotford St Luke Primary School said parents can keep update on the situation on its Twitter feed @CotfordPrimary, ParentMail and the school’s website.
READ MORE: WARNING: ‘Prolonged and disruptive’ snow looms for Somerset as 'Beast from the East' hits UK
The memo states: “As I am sure you have seen over the weekend, there are now predictions this week for significant snow accumulations, combined with extremely cold weather and high winds. Thursday evening into Friday morning looks set to be the worst of this weather pattern but obviously this all might change over the next few days.
“Although the vast majority of children live in the village and therefore should in theory be able to walk to school even with heavy snow, the vast majority of staff live outside the village and will therefore find it much harder to drive in.
“We will alert parents and carers via the school's Twitter feed @CotfordPrimary, via ParentMail, and via the school's website regarding any decisions to close the school. We will endeavour to make any decision as early as possible, and always bearing in mind the safety of our pupils and staff.
“As we all know the weather in this country is highly erratic, so we will update you, if necessary, as things develop over the week.”
Mark Griffin, headteacher at Kingsmead School in Wiveliscombe, has sent a similar email to parents and urges them not to phone the school because phone lines will need to be kept clear so bus companies can be contacted.
He said: “As you are probably aware, the UK is expecting some cold weather with a high likelihood of snow. In the event that we have a bout of snow, the school will make every effort to remain open.
“However, this school faces a number of challenges in doing so. Almost 80 per cent of our students catch a school bus.
"The bus operators will take the decision to run or otherwise according to the road conditions.
“Please avoid telephoning the school if at all possible as we will need to keep the lines clear for communication with the bus companies.
“The site will be open for those students who can get here on foot so long as two conditions are met; There are sufficient members of staff able to get here to ensure student safety and that a meaningful learning experience can take place; The site is safe enough for young people to attend.
“In the event of bad weather and possible school closure, we will post regular updates on the website, which is the best source of information, as we cannot guarantee staff will be on site to answer the phones.”
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