Procedure in the Event of Bad Weather

It is my intention to keep the school open during the school day. If there is an emergency situation before the school day making it impossible to open, we would endeavour to send an email to parents and update the home page of the school website. In addition we would get a message to BBC Radio Kent. We would aim to do this by 6.45am. Parents can also check if school is closed on the Kent Closures website www.kentclosures.co.uk. The Kent Closures website can also be used to find out if other services in Kent are open or closed, such as nurseries, children’s centres and libraries. Parents can sign up for SMS or email alerts on the Kent Closures website and this service will send an SMS or email alert advising them if Oakwood Park is closed.

If weather deteriorates during the day I may decide to release students early, if they wish to leave, but those who wish to stay may do so, and will be supervised until normal closing time. The school will not lock students out!

May I plead with you not to telephone the school to ask what is happening, or to expect students to phone you from school? Our limited telephone capacity and small number of secretarial staff will not cope with this as we have over 1000 students.

Please discuss this with your son or daughter now and agree a strategy that does not involve phoning into or from school. Whilst I am anxious that students attend school every school day, the security of the students must be paramount. Accordingly, please do not send students to school in the morning if you have any fear for their easy and safe return at the end of the day, and do not do so in the expectation that we may close early. If in doubt, keep them with you, and get them to do some additional schoolwork.

Mr Moody - Head Teacher