Due to the weather forecast this week please find information below.

St Joseph’s will monitor the situation and will update the website and Twitter.

Dear Parent/Carer

In the event of severe weather conditions, Head Teachers are guided by the Education Department’s Standard Circular 10b. Following an assessment of the situation, in consultation with relevant staff in the Education Department, a decision will be made on whether or not to close the school. If an emergency closure of the school is to be carried out, the following procedures will take place:

• We will contact the transport providers to ensure that the school buses and taxis will be available. If they are not, pupils will need to wait in school to be collected by parents.
• We will send a text to the main contact on your child’s record.
• We will put information on the school’s website about the arrangements for the closure. There will also be up to date information on ERC’s Twitter page. It is really important that in any severe weather, parents and carers make every effort to regularly monitor the ERC and school websites. These websites will be regularly updated with any important information.
• At this point we will start to evacuate the school.
• Parents who arrive at the school will be greeted at the main entrance by a member of staff who will then arrange for the child/children to join them and be taken home.
• If we have not heard from parents/carers of remaining children, we will attempt to contact other emergency contacts on their record.

In very extreme circumstances, some pupils may not be able to get home and may have to remain in school beyond the school day. This situation will be discussed with parents and, with support of senior school staff and the Education Department; pupils will be accommodated in school until arrangements are put in place for their safe transport home.

When the school has been safely closed, we will liaise with the Education Department on subsequent arrangements. At the earliest opportunity, we will then carry out an assessment of the conditions for re-opening the school. Arrangements for re-opening the school will be communicated to parents via the school’s website and other local media.

Should the school require to be closed for more than one day, information will be posted on the school’s website to allow pupils to continue their learning.

Hopefully we will not need to put these arrangements in place. However, we trust you will find the information helpful and I ask that you ensure your child/children know what arrangements you have made in the event of school closure.

For any updates on school closures in severe weather please check East Renfrewshire Council Twitter at

https://twitter.com/EastRenCouncil

Yours sincerely

S Martin

Head Teacher