Severe Weather Guidance
Dartford Grammar School will stay open if at all possible when there is severe weather such as deep snow, very high winds or widespread flooding whilst ensuring the safety of students and staff as best we can. Parents have the responsibility of getting children to and from school safely and need to decide if the journey is safe. Parents should inform the school (by email, in the first instance, to kbrown@dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk ) if their child is absent due to severe conditions. Please consider carefully and only keep children at home if conditions or the journey are unsafe.
On occasions, the school will need to close and a message will go out on Local Radio if the decision is made before 7.00 a.m. Local Radio information is given out on Radio Kent (96.7 or 104.2fm), Heart FM (106.2 or 103.1fm) and KMFM (96.2 or 101.6fm). A message will also be posted, and regularly updated, on the school website: www.dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk and www.kentclosures.co.uk. Any school closures will also be added to the school Twitter feed. You can follow the school @DartfordGS. Parents should check these sources rather than telephoning the school. Parents may wish to sign up for text message alerts on www.kentclosures.co.uk – please be aware that there is a charge of 20p plus the standard network charge. Outside of normal school office hours a message will be left on the school’s answer machine. You can also visit www.kent.gov.uk/winter for more information about school closures and gritting routes.
If on the rare occasion school closes at a time within the school day, parents will be informed by email and/or telephone, and a message posted on the school website. If weather or travel conditions worsen in the school day and parents feel it is essential to collect children, the school MUST be contacted prior to collection. Please avoid collecting children before the end of the day unless you feel their safety is at risk. Any student that is collected before the end of the school day must sign out at reception. The school will remain open until all students have been able to travel home. Parents should consider a contingency plan, to be agreed in advance, with your son/daughter to cover extreme events. It could be to go to a friend’s home closer to the school and be collected from there at a convenient time.
Please do check the school website regularly. This will be updated if there is any change to the normal working day or a change to the normal travel arrangements.
On rare occasions, school meal services may be affected by weather conditions so it is a good idea for pupils to bring in extra food. Please ensure your son/daughter is appropriately clothed for cold/wet/windy weather and that shoes/boots have good grip for icy conditions. The school consults Accuweather, BBC local weather forecasts and the Met Office.
If the school is closed, students should continue to work on homework, assignments or work reviewing/general revision. If students require access to further resources, these will be available on Sharepoint in the normal way. We thank students and parents in advance for their usual understanding and cooperation whenever it is required.
