Dear Parents
I am afraid that I am going to have to close the school to students on Friday 2nd March. This is as a result of receiving an e mail from Surrey County Council tonight, warning of an Amber weather warning for wind and snow for the whole of Surrey overnight and in the morning. This warning has been issued following a conference call between the MET office, the Surrey Emergency Management Team and various Surrey agencies.
As a result of this message a majority of Surrey schools have taken the decision to close tomorrow and this includes the majority of the Spelthorne secondaries.
I apologise for this notice arriving late tonight but I have responded as quickly as I can to receiving the e mail tonight.
We will plan to open school again on Monday morning as normal.
Yours sincerely
Phil Reeves
Guidance for Parents/Carers in the Case of Bad Weather
Fortunately extremely bad weather (particularly snow) is a rare event in Shepperton. It is Thamesmead’s policy to remain open unless we are forced to close because there is a risk to the health and safety of staff and students. Understandably, the school office receives many phone calls from anxious parents/carers at these times but we ask you to remain patient in the event and wait to receive information from the school. Please do not telephone the school at these times unless there is an emergency.
If we are closed an announcement will be posted on the school website www.thamesmead.surrey.sch.uk You will also receive a text message from our Schoolcomms service which displays the number 01932-30002. BBC Surrey, Eagle Radio and Radio Jackie will also broadcast information on the school’s status. School closure is highly unlikely and will be avoided where possible. The decision to close the school will be taken by the head teacher (or deputy head in his absence) in consultation with the Health & Safety Lead and the Chair of Governors will be notified.
Should the weather turn worse during a school day, the school will make an informed decision on the best action to take having checked weather reports and sought advice from our bus companies and other local transport. Students will only be sent home if the bus companies inform us that they need to leave early, or are unable to run their usual service. If the school buses are leaving early or are cancelled the website will be updated as quickly as possible and you will receive a Schoolcomms message advising you of this fact. We will inform the relevant students and arrange for them to leave school at an appropriate time. In extreme circumstances the school may permit students to contact parent/carers using their mobile phones, if they have one. Such calls would always have prior approval from a teacher and would take place in a supervised environment. No student would be permitted to leave school until a teacher has spoken to a parent/carer (please note that mobile phone use is not permitted on school premises under normal conditions unless with specific permission from a teacher).
No other students will be allowed to leave school early without permission from their parent/carer. If we believe that any student is at risk of being unable to travel home safely, we will contact their parent/carer. All students will be kept safe in school until we have been able to make contact with a parent/carer and received permission to allow them home. Please be aware that parents/carers who arrive to collect students may have to wait whilst the child is located within the school.