Schools and education in severe weather

• Emergency - where the building cannot open as there is no running water, the heating is not working or power failure.
• Planned - Where the school building is closed for elections, industrial action or when utility companies are doing planned maintenance work to gas, water or electric services in the area and all services are to be shut off.  Schools are notified in advance of these closures and Headteachers will notify Parents/Carers of these closures.
• Severe Weather - Headteachers will make the decision locally to close where severe weather prevents the school from opening.

• The most efficient way is via the school through their Groupcall text message and email service.  Please make sure that your school has up-to-date contact details from you.
• Headteachers will make the decision as early as possible on the night before or day of the closure and will contact you once this is confirmed.  Messages from Groupcall, will be automatically sent to your mobile phone and/or email account.
• Please note that text alerts and email issued via mobile network providers, may be delayed where there is high volume on mobile networks or the internet.  Therefore, you should also make use of the other communication channels referred to on these pages.

• You will only receive further messages when the status of a school changes.  The first text/email will be sent when the school closes and a further text/email will be sent only once the school reopens.  If a school remains closed over more than one day, there will be no further messages sent until the school reopens.

If your child has moved to a new school or from a primary school to a high school in August 2023, you should ensure that the new school has your consent to use your email and mobile number details to send you messages relating to school closures.

• The Education Service aims to maintain service delivery during severe weather and to minimise disruption to pupils and Parents/Carers.
• Where necessary, Headteachers will close their school as early as possible the night before or on the first morning of severe weather, to allow text/email messages to be issued as quickly.
• On very rare occasions, there may be the need to implement a blanket closure that may affect parts or all of Fife.  Updates will be provided through the communication channels below.
• Janitorial staff will prioritise the clearing of one pathway per school as an access route for all building users.  This may not be your usual route into the school and it may not be the quickest route through the building.
• Where there is heavy snowfall in Fife, resources will be deployed to the worst hit areas and therefore the clearing of playgrounds and car parks will not be a priority until all schools can open.
• It may not be possible to have all School Crossing Patrol Officers on duty during the worst of the weather.  You should make arrangements to ensure the safety of your child to and from school.

Please stay safe and warm: make sure that you allow extra time for any journeys made during severe weather, that you and pupils are dressed appropriately for the conditions and are wearing suitable footwear with grips.

• By text or email through your school – make sure that you provide your mobile number and email address details to the school so that they can contact you by Groupcall
• Online - All the news and information you’ll need is online.  Visit www.fife.gov.uk and click on ‘News Centre’ for up-to-date information.
• Follow-us on facebook.com/fifecouncil and X twitter.com/fifecouncil
• Listen to Kingdom FM, Forth One and Tay FM

• All school bus routes are part of the Council's Primary Winter Gritting Routes.
• In severe weather it is for the bus companies to decide if it is possible to operate their school services. They are expected to contact schools to let them know if the buses are cancelled or running late. School staff should message parents/carers to let them know the status of the buses at their school.
• Check the bus companies' social media pages for service updates. Pupils travelling on Stagecoach buses can download their app for live bus tracking.
• Details on the status of a school bus may be obtained by calling the bus company direct. The telephone numbers are available from the timetables on the School Transport page of https://www.travelfife.com
• Drivers will use their discretion to decide whether a road is passable. Buses may not be able to enter housing estates to collect pupils from designated bus stops and may only be able to stop at the main road to pick up pupils. Pupils should, therefore, make their way to main roads and congregate at the nearest bus stop if necessary.
• Should a bus breakdown or the road become impassable, pupils should remain on the bus or at the roadside as instructed by the driver. The driver will contact their depot for advice and to arrange for a replacement vehicle to be sent. Pupils should not leave the bus and make their own way to school or home unsupervised.
• Pupils transported in taxis/minibuses, may also possibly experience disruption during severe weather. The operators may not be able to provide transport from some or all the addresses on their route. Operators are expected, as far as possible, to make an attempt to contact these parents/carers to advise them.

• Online learning has been developed to allow pupils to access individual school online platforms such as Seesaw, GLOW, Show My Homework.
• Schools will advise pupils which revision material they should access and will be shared via online platforms or in some circumstances, materials may have already been provided by teachers.
• Pupils who have access to their GLOW accounts will find a range of information that will be very helpful through national platforms or directly from their school/teacher.
• Please ensure that your child retains their GLOW username and password for access.
• There are a number of websites which pupils can access to support with learning, for example, BBC, Channel 4 and Education Scotland websites.
• The following website Digital learning from Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar | e-Sgoil can be accessed by all pupils to support with learning and revision.
• For those pupils unable to access digital platforms the school will, where possible, provide paper learning packs with resources for pupils to access whilst learning at home.

Individual schools will provide parents/carers with information directly relating to their own school context.

• Where a school has closed on the morning of severe weather, it is likely that any evening events planned for that day will also be cancelled.  Updates will be provided on www.fife.gov.uk, Facebook and Twitter.  Schools may also use Groupcall to notify you.
• “Community use” schools will not open when a school has been closed during the day.