The risk of severe flooding means schools not only face potential damage to their buildings but also staff and students may be at risk, including on the journey between home and school.
During any prolonged spell of severe cold, stormy or snowy weather, issues arise on which members and health and safety representatives need advice, particularly concerning school closure.
All educational establishments can improve their readiness and planning for severe weather by signing up for the Met Office’s severe weather warning system.
How to prepare for, manage and deal with the aftermath of flooding.
Advice on the heating levels in schools and classrooms in England, and how to deal with heating problems commonly encountered during cold weather and snow
Advice on the heating levels in schools and classrooms in Wales, and how to deal with the various types of heating problems which are commonly encountered during cold weather and snow.
Whilst it is fair enough to expect staff, particularly those who are very local, to make reasonable attempts to get to work, head teachers/principals should not expect staff to ignore official advice not to travel and put themselves at risk. In our view ‘essential travel’ is that which is needed to protect people, for example, medical or emergency services, gritting services, food supplies etc.
If the school has been closed because it has been deemed unsafe or inappropriate for pupils to attend, then staff should not be expected to attend work. Staff are likely to be affected by travelling difficulties in similar ways to students, and poor conditions within the school, for instance, frozen pipes, would present an unacceptable working environment for staff too.
No, this would be unreasonable, given that term dates are published more than 12 months in advance and that staff and parents will in many cases have made holiday plans. Contact your local district secretary if this is proposed.
There is a statutory right to take unpaid leave of absence for family and domestic reasons for incidents involving employees’ dependants. In addition, there may also be a contractual entitlement to a certain number of days’ paid leave under a local special leave agreement.
Schools should look generously upon requests for paid leave of absence in these exceptional circumstances, particularly given that education staff cannot take annual leave in the way that other employees can.
As far as pay is concerned, the NEU will challenge any attempts to withhold pay from staff who are genuinely unable to attend work.
No. Such tasks are only part of the duties of the premises staff.
No. It would not be helpful for schools to have strangers turning up offering their services. The issue of DBS checks makes this impracticable.
Schools need to make closure decisions early in the morning or the previous evening. Such decisions cannot be made based on the off-chance that other staff might be available to help out.
Depending on the number of toilets available and how quickly the problem can be remedied. A lack of toilets (and also warm water for handwashing) can quickly become a health issue.
