We've had a bit of snow

[Little yellow Brompton]

Not quite...it's to do with the ratio of teachers to children in the school. Not enough teachers then the head has to make the decision to close the school or run the risk of operating outside of Dept of Education guidelines. Also the head has a duty of care to his/her staff, so in adverse conditions the decision may be made to send staff home whilst they can still get home, which means the ratio of staff to students is affected again, etc.etc

I say again

Risk shifting...

LA's and LEA's in particular are the most risk averse organisations known to man.

 

[Drago]

We get people phone in who can't get to work cos of the snow, yet I had little difficulty cycling past heir house on my own way in. It's just symptomatic of the spineless losers that are ruining this country.

 

[Onthedrops]

Why do the schools close when there is a couple of inches of snow on the ground?

HEALTH & SAFETY. It's the old slips trips and falls. Blend it with the voice in the background stating "Have you been injured in an accident and it wasn't your fault?" Hey, let's sue the school!!!
I think that's why they close the schools.

 

[Andy_R]

I say again

Risk shifting...

LA's and LEA's in particular are the most risk averse organisations known to man.

and I say again...not quite.

Risk assessment, risk management, risk avoidance. But not risk shifting. It isn't up to the LA or LEA to close the school. It's up to the Head Teacher who is actually on site and able to make the required judgement as to whether or not it is safe to keep the school open. As the Head is effectively the manager of the school, it is his/her decision alone, not someone in an office in a different part of the county.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

and I say again...not quite.

Risk assessment, risk management, risk avoidance. But not risk shifting. It isn't up to the LA or LEA to close the school. It's up to the Head Teacher who is actually on site and able to make the required judgement as to whether or not it is safe to keep the school open. As the Head is effectively the manager of the school, it is his/her decision alone, not someone in an office in a different part of the county.

Really? not a few hours ago you were mentioning "Dept of Education guidelines" , now you will forgive me, but my understanding of a "guideline" is that it's a policy , a broad outline, not a rule, leaving decisions to a local level, so which is it the local manager making a decision to move the risk somewhere else or the local manager not wanting to absorb the risk themselves and hiding behind "guidlines"? I'm confused because you seem to be sending out a mixed message of why the local manager is trying to move the risk to somewhere else.

 

[Andy_R]

Really? not a few hours ago you were mentioning "Dept of Education guidelines" , now you will forgive me, but my understanding of a "guideline" is that it's a policy , a broad outline, not a rule, leaving decisions to a local level, so which is it the local manager making a decision to move the risk somewhere else or the local manager not wanting to absorb the risk themselves and hiding behind "guidlines"? I'm confused because you seem to be sending out a mixed message of why the local manager is trying to move the risk to somewhere else.

You're deliberately misinterpreting me, as you usually do when someone disagrees with you. Think what you wish LYB, I won't argue with you or attempt a rational debate as it's a pointless exercise.

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

HEALTH & SAFETY. It's the old slips trips and falls. Blend it with the voice in the background stating "Have you been injured in an accident and it wasn't your fault?" Hey, let's sue the school!!!
I think that's why they close the schools.

3 years I claimed on my insurance cos I scraped the car on my gatepost. Silly really as the cost wasn't a lot more than the excess but hey ho.

This year I changed my insurance co and declared the claim. Since then I have had at least 6 yes six calls from people saying they'd heard I'd had an accident and did I want to claim compensation.

Who from? Myself??

And it was obviously the insurance industry who are tipping 'em off. What thieving hypocrites.

Anyway, I have bought some crampons for icy pavements, they cost little and work very well.

 

[Glow worm]

Theres' a thing on telly right now about the winter of 1963- frozen seas and pack ice in ports and 20' snow drifts etc. Makes this current cold snap look tropical. Hereabouts -we have only had a light dusting- I went out to measure the depth yesterday and it didn't even reach the 0 inch line on my ruler! Pathetic!

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

30 mile radius of Westminster ... YES

Who cares about the abyss! Lol

Yes.

My understanding is that technically speaking, the Met Office regards the south as the more 'sensitive area of the country' where inclement conditions are more likely to be classed as 'severe'.

 

[Arch]

Yes.

My understanding is that technically speaking, the Met Office regards the south as the more 'sensitive area of the country' where inclement conditions are more likely to be classed as 'severe'.

Well that's true, it's full of more 'sensitive' people...

And they're right about conditions being more likely to be severe - not because they actually are, but everyone gets in more of a flap about it all....

 

[Kies]

You are both right .... The centre of the universe has to be protected, and nurtured and cared for. We care not what happens further North and West, for they have no bearing on us or our lives :-)

 

[Kies]

Btw .... It's snowing again in London ..... At least a cm of the white stuff. Suspect I wil work from home tommorow ;-)
Met office advised of blizzard conditions,and not to venture out unless it is an emergency!

 

[gavgav]

The soft southerners have had an inch or so of snow!!!

Not only does it make national news headlines, but the BBC also cancel a scheduled programme in order to air a "special programme" on the days events.

It's bloody snow for Gawds sake! We get it every year up here but still carry on. Not so down south, schools closed, rail disruption, people not going to work, total chaos, gridlock!!! Oh my God we're all gonna die!

Funny isn't it? I couldn't believe the guy on the news outside Houses of Parliament talking about the chaos on the roads etc................... whilst standing in around an inch of snow!!! Get a bloody grip!
We get some right covering up here, I imagine further north they get it worse still, am I right Scottish members? Very rarely gets a mention on the national news, maybe reference to it on the weather forecast. Makes you wonder how this country got to be called "Great" Bit of snow south of Watford and everything grinds to a halt!!!

Rant over.

Absolutely spot on , been saying the same thing all week. It's just a normal day in Switzerland, Austria, Canada, etc, etc and they don't grind to a halt!! When I saw that there was a 1/2 hour news special on it I fell about laughing!!

 

[RoyPSB]

The soft southerners have had an inch or so of snow!!!

Not only does it make national news headlines, but the BBC also cancel a scheduled programme in order to air a "special programme" on the days events.

It's bloody snow for Gawds sake! We get it every year up here but still carry on. Not so down south, schools closed, rail disruption, people not going to work, total chaos, gridlock!!! Oh my God we're all gonna die!

Funny isn't it? I couldn't believe the guy on the news outside Houses of Parliament talking about the chaos on the roads etc................... whilst standing in around an inch of snow!!! Get a bloody grip!
We get some right covering up here, I imagine further north they get it worse still, am I right Scottish members? Very rarely gets a mention on the national news, maybe reference to it on the weather forecast. Makes you wonder how this country got to be called "Great" Bit of snow south of Watford and everything grinds to a halt!!!

Rant over.

We get it. You're all tough up there - congratulations. #dinosaurstereotype

We're all soft mincers. Mine's a Cabernet Sauvignon please.

 

[subaqua]

The soft southerners have had an inch or so of snow!!!

Not only does it make national news headlines, but the BBC also cancel a scheduled programme in order to air a "special programme" on the days events.

It's bloody snow for Gawds sake! We get it every year up here but still carry on. Not so down south, schools closed, rail disruption, people not going to work, total chaos, gridlock!!! Oh my God we're all gonna die!

Funny isn't it? I couldn't believe the guy on the news outside Houses of Parliament talking about the chaos on the roads etc................... whilst standing in around an inch of snow!!! Get a bloody grip!
We get some right covering up here, I imagine further north they get it worse still, am I right Scottish members? Very rarely gets a mention on the national news, maybe reference to it on the weather forecast. Makes you wonder how this country got to be called "Great" Bit of snow south of Watford and everything grinds to a halt!!!

Rant over.

strangely a lot of the programme was about the north .