Severe & Adverse Weather

Severe Weather Procedures for Students 2025/26

During periods of severe or adverse weather (or other emergency situations), the Academy will make a decision to implement one of the following options and communicate this decision before 7:30 a.m. (where able).

Open as normal.
Open but operating on a reduced timetable or for reduced year groups.
Closed.

Any decision will be communicated via:

The Academy website
An email message to families via Arbor (parents/carers should ensure that their contact details are up to date)
Social Media

Staff will receive communication via an Arbor email message with any further subsequent contact needed, via line managers and from the Head of School. Staff will ensure that they have the ICT equipment needed e.g. laptops, so they can share any learning materials with students during a full or partial closure of the school.

Option 2 Open but operating on a reduced timetable or for reduced year groups

The school will officially open for the year groups stated and/or at the time stated on the website, social media posts and via the Arbor email message (but will be open before this time for any students arriving on earlier buses).

The main bus company (Flagfinders) will be notified of our intentions, but we will not contact all other taxi and minibus companies. Parents/carers should talk to them directly about whether they will be running a service. Parents/carers should contact the other serving and public bus companies directly for further information.

Students that walk to school or travel to school by car should aim to arrive by the stated opening time.

For students that arrive before the stated opening time.

Students in Years 7 and 8 should go to the Canteen area of school.
Students in Years 9 and 10 should go to the school gym.
Students in Year 11 should go to the Main Hall (this is extremely important to do during examination periods promptly).
All students will need to wait in these designated areas until they are told to move to registration.

Public examinations will start at their published times unless students are advised otherwise.

As ever, a decision about sending students to school in difficult weather conditions must be made by each individual family, as local conditions can vary considerably. Students should think carefully about their footwear to and from school and wear the most appropriate footwear they have to help them manage on any slippery surfaces in the local area. Students should then change into their normal school footwear on arrival. Students should ensure that they are warm, wearing an appropriate coat, hat and gloves. Students should also eat a substantial breakfast before they leave for school. Snowballing and the making of snowmen is forbidden on and around the school site for safety reasons.

The Ramsey Academy, Halstead will finish at the normal time – 3:00 p.m, unless weather dictates a need to finish early for safety reasons. There will be no after school lessons/clubs/detentions/meetings or late transport for students unless the weather has improved considerably during the day. Should the school need to close earlier than 3pm, families will be contacted, and students will be supported & supervised until their collection, they are able to walk safely home, or their designated school transport arrives. We will communicate our position clearly on the website, social media posts and via an Arbor email message.

In the event of worsening weather conditions during the school day necessitating closure as above, we will give as much notice as possible and communicate this decision by the modes of communication listed above. Any student that may have problems getting home should report to the Main Hall. We will not allow students to leave the site unless we are confident that parents/carers are aware and approve of arrangements.

Option 3 Academy Closure

The decision to close rests with the Head of School and/or Executive Headteacher alongside the senior leadership team. We will only make the decision to close as a last resort e.g. travelling becoming hazardous, or if the site is not safe for students and staff.

If the Academy is closed (partially or fully), students should ensure the following is completed as part of learning and work expectations:

All homework is up to date for when they return.
Work set via Satchel One (where appropriate to do so).
Work set that has been emailed to students via their class teachers for the day of closure or lesson if partial closure (where appropriate to do so).
If a school closure period lasts more than one school day, all teaching staff will set work via Show My Homework from the second closure day.

Digital and Online Access

Families of students without digital or online access at home should contact the Head of Year and/or Pastoral manager for their child if there is an issue with accessing the above in advance of any closures at the earliest possible opportunity. The school will keep a log of students where digital and online access is restricted and put one of the following in place to ensure that access to work is still possible:

Provision in school if this is possible
Paper copies of work and resources provided. Details of a designated area where work can be collected by parents will be provided.
A laptop may be provided to use in exceptional circumstances (only if able to be delivered on the day by the school).

In the event of a closure - please support your child by putting the following in place:

A quiet place to work.
Ensuring your child follows their usual school timetable where able.
Monitor regular screen breaks
Any concerns that arise as per a normal school day - can be raised with the Head of Year or Pastoral Manager via email.