Dear parent/carer
Given the adverse weather today and the forecast for tomorrow I wanted to explain the arrangements should we have to make the difficult decision to close the school and revert to remote learning. The forecast for the morning according to the current met office predictions is for snow from midnight tonight and heavy snow from 2 am to 10 am.
Should this forecast materialise, combined with the fact that we are currently experiencing high levels of staff absence, largely due to covid related issues, it would be highly likely that we would not be able to open as we would not have enough staff to ensure the safety of all children on site. Please can I reassure parents/carers that this is not an option I will take lightly as we understand that you as parents have a wide variety of work commitments and pressures and I am keen to avoid further disruption.
I will make the decision as early as possible in the morning based on the conditions at that time and, as outlined in the letter shared on 1 December, if we are forced to close we will communicate via email and text, the school website, Radio Lancashire and the school’s social media accounts.
For the student’s remote learning, they should follow their normal timetable, accepting that there may be some classes where provision cannot be offered due to covid related absence or illness (as well as PE practical lessons). All students should access the homework facility on Edulink where work and any zoom links would be uploaded for the day. Where possible, we will endeavour to offer an element of live learning but please understand that there may be barriers for some colleagues which means this is not possible, such as looking after their own children during the day. Staff will share a Zoom meeting link via Edulink.
For our Year 7 students, we know that they have not yet experienced Zoom at Haslingden High School. We would recommend that all students check tonight to ensure that they have the zoom app downloaded should it be required tomorrow. Please note that to be allowed access to the lesson, students must have a Zoom account set up with their Haslingden High Gmail accounts and must use their full name.
Best wishes
Russell Clarke, Headteacher