Adverse Weather Information
The education of our students is important and we hope that it will not be necessary to close the College, we will do everything we possibly can to keep the College open. College Special Buses will operate unless you have been notified otherwise, all students are advised to remain at bus stops as the bus will run, although it may run late due to the weather conditions.
However, there are situations when the decision to close or partially close may be taken in the interests of health and safety of both students and staff. As soon as a decision has been taken to close the College several actions will be taken.Procedures for communicating College closures
- Our College website will be updated. A message will appear on the homepage www.sbsj.co.uk
This message will contain precise information about the closure. - An Arbor In App message and email will be sent to the primary guardians. If you have changed your details recently please let us know.
- Pulse radio transmits the information – Pulse 1- 102.5 FM
- The Bradford Council website will also display a list of school closures
Bradford Council school closures
It is important that as many people as possible use these means to find out about whether College is open. The College switchboard can be very busy at these times so please wait to hear from us, or check other communication channels (as above) first. Please only call if absolutely necessary. In extremely severe weather conditions it is possible that nobody would be able to reach College to answer the telephones.
In situations where College is open, or partially open, teaching will go ahead as usual wherever possible. However, it may be necessary to combine groups in larger spaces and for normal classes to be suspended. College will remain open but should conditions deteriorate then arrangements may be made to close during the day.
Closure during the College day
Students must not contact home independently and request to be collected. The co-ordination of such arrangements is almost impossible to organise. Please advise your son/daughter to follow the advice below. Should weather conditions deteriorate during the day then a number of actions may take place;
- Students will be allowed to leave the site at the agreed time to make their way home
- Students who cannot get home safely will be supervised in College until parents/carers can collect them. In extreme circumstances, should it be necessary to organise supervision beyond the end of the normal College day, then College undertakes to organise this
- Parents/Carers can help in planning for such unavoidable College closures by discussing the procedures at home and ensuring students are aware of arrangements of house keys, mobile phones, siblings, alternative transport routes etc.
If the decision is taken to close the College during the day due to inclement weather and you do not want your son/daughter to leave the site at an earlier time than 3.25 pm, then you must inform us as soon as possible so these details can be pre-recorded on your son’s/daughter’s student information.
Whilst St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic College will take all reasonable steps to protect the safety of our students, it must be acknowledged students have a responsibility to follow the advice given. Where contact with parents is advised, students should not leave the site until such contact has been made, and then only leave the site when they clearly know how to get home and have access to a place of safety.
College special buses
For college bus service delays, please follow the bus Twitter feed @metrogenm. You don't have to have a Twitter account to see updates - you can use the web link
www.twitter.com/metrogenm
or
www.generationm.co.uk/News/TravelDisruptionPage/
to see the latest messages. Metro endeavour to report any major or long-term disruptions on this web site (e.g. during severe snow days).
