Exceptional closure of schools due to adverse weather - Department of Education, Northern Ireland

Report by the Working Group on School Opening/Closure Arrangements

The severe weather conditions in November/December 2010 resulted in a considerable number of schools in Northern Ireland having to close. This highlighted a number of issues, including confusion about the number of days that schools must be in operation; the different types of school closure; and the arrangements for notifying parents.

As a result, the former Minister for Education, Caitríona Ruane MLA, established a working group consisting of members from across the education sector. The working group was asked to explore the arrangements governing school opening/closures, and to provide recommendations to the Department of Education on how to improve them, particularly in relation to exceptional closures. The working group’s report has now been published and is available below:

The Department of Education is taking forward work on the group’s recommendations contained in the report.

Checklist for Principals When Considering Opening or Closure of School

The Checklist provides Principals with information on the factors they need to consider when deciding whether or not to close their school.

The Department of Education will consider an application for a reduction in the days on which a school must be in operation to take account of exceptional circumstances or where the closing of the school is outside the control of the school authorities, for example, due to:-

the death of a teacher or pupil at the school;

flooding or burst pipes;

electricity failure;

an exceptionally heavy snowfall;

use as a polling station for parliamentary/local government elections.

In the current exceptional circumstances schools should phone the Department's Curriculum Support Team on 91279533, 91279406 or 91279936 to advise that their school has closed and follow this up with an email when the school reopens. This email should be forwarded to curriculum.supportteam@deni.gov.uk requesting permission for any exceptional closure (EC) days, with brief information on the reason for the closure(s).

Education and Library Boards have been asked to provide details of schools closed due to adverse weather conditions on their websites. Local media organisations also provide details of closed schools. Schools wishing to inform the BBC of their closure should note the guidance on the procedure for doing so which was issued by email to all schools on 1 December 2010.