Extreme Weather

Should we experience heavy snowfall or severe weather conditions during winter months, please be aware it may be necessary to close the school.

The decision to close a school unexpectedly is not taken lightly; it is a decision which will be made by the Head Teacher. In all cases we will seek to avoid a school closure unless it is absolutely necessary.

In event of this happening, the Head Teacher will:

• Inform the Asset Development Team, Children’s Services, of the closure.
• The Chair of Governors will be notified.
• The City of Salford website, http://www.salford.gov.uk/schoolclosures.htm will be regularly updated with news of school closures.
• Parents will be informed by SMS text message of the closure, if possible by 7.30 am.
• Staff will be informed by SMS text message of the closure, if possible by 7.30 am.
• The school answer phone will have an information message recorded on it (0161 921 1295).
• The school website will display an information message http://moorsideprimary.net/
• The school closure will be posted on BBC Manchester Radio, Key 103, and Capital radio Stations (0161 200 2000/2885000/ 662 4700).
• If the closure lasts longer than 1 day, further text messages will be sent to parents and staff and the school answer phone and web site will be updated if possible.
• Staff will be updated by text message daily
• A return to school will be notified to parents and staff by text message and the school answer phone message and web site will be updated.

If you do not receive or hear an announcement via the local radio or SMS text message, then school will be opening as usual.

Heating Systems and Temperatures

Minimum temperatures in schools

The Education (School Premises) Regulations set out the legal requirements for minimum temperatures in schools. These are:

• 18ºC in areas of normal level of physical activity associated with teaching (i.e. ordinary classrooms);
• 21ºC in areas of lower than normal activity (e.g. sick rooms); and
• 5ºC in areas of higher than normal activity (e.g. gymnasia, washrooms).

The Regulations require that schools have heating systems capable of maintaining the minimum temperatures and that school classrooms are heated up to these temperatures for as long as the rooms are used for their normal purpose. Temperatures in school classrooms must be at least 18ºC.

Maximum temperatures in schools

There is no maximum temperature. An acceptable zone of thermal comfort for most people in the UK lies roughly between 13ºC

and 30ºC. At temperatures approaching 35ºC and above the body begins to dehydrate and cells break down, an individual

becomes light-head, faint, weak, vision may become blared etc. People who are pregnant, have a heart condition, blood pressure and asthma are at particular risk.

Before making the decision to close the school the Head Teacher will request information on the action proposed by the Facilities Management Company to repair or upgrade the heating system. The Facilities Management Company will monitor temperatures to the classroom/ area with heating problems on a twice daily basis at the same time each day in order to provide evidence of the problem. Where temperatures are consistently below the levels required by law, the Head Teacher should take appropriate action to ensure that teachers, support staff and pupils are not required to work in inappropriately heated areas.

Consideration will be given to:

• temporarily moving to warmer parts of the building
• bringing in temporary heating sources
• Rearranging timetabling in order to move classes or closing all or part of the school.
• school full/part closure

Once the decision to close the school has been made the Head Teacher will follow the above procedures in order to inform Staff and Parents of the closure.

Thank you.