Emergency Closure Arrangements

In the event of an emergency closure the Head Teacher follows guidance issued by the Education Department (Management Circular 10). After assessing the situation and consulting with relevant Education Department staff, a decision will be made about whether the school needs to close.

If an emergency closure is required, the following procedures will be put in place:

Communication with Parents and Carers

• Information about the closure will be shared on:
  • The school website:  https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/gc/stvincentsprimary/
  • The school Twitter/X account: @vincents_st
• Parents and carers are asked to check these regularly particularly when there is severe weather, as updates will be posted as soon as new information becomes available.
• A text message will also be sent to parents and carers to inform them of the closure and direct them to the school and council websites and Twitter feeds for further details.

Arrangements During Closure

• Parents arriving at school will be met at the main entrance by a member of management, who will arrange for their child(ren) to be brought to them using our allocated exit points.
• Children will remain in their classes while collections are ongoing.
• Once numbers reduce, remaining pupils will be supervised in the lunch hall.
• If we have not heard from parents or carers of remaining children, staff will attempt to contact parents or emergency contacts.

Extreme Circumstances

• In very extreme situations, some pupils may be unable to get home and may need to remain in school beyond the normal school day.
• This will be discussed directly with parents and carers.
• With support from senior staff and the Education Department, pupils will be safely accommodated in school until suitable transport arrangements can be made.

Re-opening the School

Once the school has closed safely, the Head Teacher (Miss Lynch) will liaise with the Education Department regarding next steps. An assessment will be carried out as soon as possible to determine whether the school can re-open.

Information about re-opening will be shared through:

• The school website
• The school X account
• Text Message to families

Remote Learning

If the school is required to close for more than one day, the Remote Learning Policy will be implemented. Information will be shared via the school website and X, and pupils will continue their learning remotely through Showbie.

Emergency Contacts

While we hope these arrangements will never be needed, we ask parents and carers to ensure the school has up-to-date emergency contact details.

If you do not currently have a local emergency contact, we would appreciate it if you could arrange a neighbour or friend who would be willing to collect or care for your child in extreme circumstances. Please notify us as soon as possible by:

• Phone: the school office
• A letter sent to the school

We would appreciate receiving this information as soon as possible.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support.