During winter and cold weather, the following information details what will happen in the event of adverse weather necessitating a school closure.

Please be assured that wherever possible we will do our utmost to keep the school open and the school will only close based on the safety of students and staff and the availability of public transport. We may also close if we do not have sufficient staff to safely supervise students. Unfortunately, not all of our staff live close to the school and, in certain circumstances, they may find it difficult or impossible to get to work.

Closure before the start of the school day due to severe weather:

If we were to close the school before the start of the day, we will inform you in the following ways:

1. An email will be sent to all parents by 7.00am. Please let us have your up-to-date contact details if you have not already done so.
2. A message will appear on the school’s website: www.swgs.wilts.sch.uk, and on social media sites by 7:00am at the latest each day and we will update the website with information during the day.

We may choose to open school later, to allow for roads to clear and for students to access public transport. If this is the case, we will follow the same notification procedures as above.

If the school does open later then there may also be alternative access points and routes around the school to ensure safe travel around the site, and this will be communicated as appropriate.

Closure during the school day:

If for any reason weather forces us to close during the school day, we will inform you in the following ways:

1. We will email parents/carers, and this message will also direct you to the school website which will have all advice/instructions.
2. We will provide updates from the school bus companies and trainlines to parents as soon as possible.
3. Students will only be allowed to leave the school and make their way home once the decision has been made to close. We will assume that students have permission to leave school on their own and be at home, which we appreciate may be without an adult. If your child is under the age of 12 and you are not happy to consent to this, please let the school know by completing this short form: SWGS Adverse Weather Response.
4. If students are unable to get home safely or do not have consent from parents to leave on their own, we will stay open for as long as possible until the end of the school day and supervise those students. Although there may not be enough teachers to teach lessons, we will provide supervised activities.
5. If you are contacted directly by your child in these circumstances, please make them aware that you are awaiting a decision by the school and that they need to await instructions from school.

Information regarding any changes to the school’s operating arrangements will be renewed each day as necessary; the assumption should always be that the school is open as normal unless there is information given to the contrary for that day.