Why is/isn't my school closed?

How do schools decide if they should close during bad weather? nidirect.gov.uk explains the decision process;

There are different reasons why your child’s school may be closed. There are planned closures due to holidays, staff training days, scheduled building work or other specific events relevant to your child’s school. Schools may also need to take exceptional closures due to factors like extreme weather, death of a teacher or pupil or electricity failure.

Decision-making process Before taking the decision to open or close a school during periods of severe weather, the Principal, or an agreed deputy, for example, Chair of the Board of Governors or a senior teacher, needs to consider the following: - can pupils/staff access the school building safely? - can pupils/staff be evacuated in an emergency? - in an emergency, could the Emergency Services access the school? - is the area where pupils are dropped-off by transport safe? - transport – can buses and vehicles transporting things such as meals reach the school? This is particularly important if a large number of pupils within the school rely on these services - are there enough teachers to adequately supervise pupils? - local weather forecasts and road conditions, including those for areas from which staff will be travelling Continue Reading at If you're a senior staff member or principle of a school, you can now register your details to access Cool FM's School Closure system. If you're a parent or pupil, click here to see any schools who have advised us of a closure.