Emergency Closure
Complete Closure
If severe weather prevents the school from opening the school website will announce the closure by 7.00 am on the day of closure and will post updates on the School’s social media pages and the School website. In severe conditions it may be possible to make a decision to close the school the evening before. We will endeavour to email and text parents with news of the closure. Please contact the School Office or email enquiries@ebhigh.org.uk to update any contact details that may have changed.
The school closure will also be broadcast on the following radio stations:
HEART IPSWICH (97.1, 96.4 FM) – www.heart.co.uk/suffolk/
BBC RADIO SUFFOLK (104.6, 103.9, 95.5 and 95.9 FM – www.bbc.co.uk/radiosuffolk
HEART COLCHESTER (96.1 FM) – www.heart.co.uk/colchester/
BBC ESSEX (103.5 and 95.3 FM) – www.bbc.co.uk/bbcessex
Closure During the School Day
On occasion, weather conditions can deteriorate over the day and the school may have to close early so that students and staff can get home safely. If this occurs, we notify all parents via email and text and keep everyone informed of developments through our website. The local radio stations will also be informed.
It is very important that you discuss with your child(ren) the plan you want them to follow so they know exactly what to do if they are sent home early.
The decision to close early is taken in conjunction with the bus companies as we are dependent upon both contract and public transport arrangements to get all children home.
The most important consideration in these procedures is everyone’s safety and well being. Any student who is uncertain whether they can get home, or to the planned place of safety, will be required to stay at the school and remain in the care of the senior staff.
General Points
A) Parents have a duty to ensure that their children attend school if at all possible. At the same time, parents may decide not to send their children to school if they have reasonable cause to be concerned about their safety.
B) In very severe weather students should wait at bus stops for 30 minutes after the expected arrival time of the bus. (In normal situations we ask students to wait until 9.30 am). Parents are reminded that the School has no control over transport arrangements. We liaise as closely as we can with the various companies but they and the individual bus drivers have to use their discretion in severe weather and often it is not possible to keep the School fully informed.
C) Parents should assume that the School is open unless notified officially of a closure by the School.