Winter Preparedness

Heavy snowfall, freezing or stormy weather can cause problems, bringing with it travel issues, power cuts and flooding. In addition, each year some schools experience temporary closure or disruption where heating systems fail or where snowfall makes travelling too hazardous.

Winter is a time when health problems emerge, amongst children and adults.  For instance, respiratory health problems such as asthma are made worse in the winter. Other infectious diseases become more common as temperatures drop and people spend more time together indoors and less time outside.

Strategies for alerting parents should also be prepared in advance and implemented when severe weather starts or is imminent.

In general, schools and Early Years providers should make every effort to keep open for as many pupils as possible, if safe to do so. If closure is necessary, where the health and safety of staff and pupils cannot be maintained, they should reopen as soon as possible after the weather has improved and once the site has been made safe.

Summary

• Winter weather can cause property damage to schools and Early Years settings, as well as leading to health issues and disruption.
• Schools should ensure critical maintenance checks of the school are completed.
• Access should be ensured by maintaining car parks, pathways, steps and entrances.
• Adequate heating and ventilation should be in place.
• Viruses are spread easily indoors and there are general health issues associated with cold weather and cold housing.
• Carry out an assessment of the risk of flooding, either from the sea or from rivers.
• Ensure your Business Continuity plan has been updated, that you have updated telephones numbers and other senior teachers in the school are aware of the contents of the plan for your school.
• For support or advice on Business Continuity please contact businesscontinuity@norfolk.gov.uk

Further advice and information

• Emergency School closures - Guidance on Emergency School Closures
• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) with engagement from the Department for Education (DfE) has produced guidance on Looking after children and those in early years settings before and during cold weather: teachers and other educational professionals

• Before severe weather occurs; sign your school up to the Met Office email alerts service (opens new window)
• Check your login for the emergency school closures system  
• Update your entries on the Schools Emergency Contact and Keyholder Database; login to My School, select 'Staff' then 'Emergency Contacts and Keyholders'
• Ensure boilers and heating systems are maintained regularly, ensure pipes are appropriately lagged
• Inspect windows and exterior doors for draughts; draught-proof as needed
• Risk assess the site and give specific instructions to staff or relevant people, based on this
• Identify outdoor areas used by pedestrians most likely to be affected by ice, for example: building entrances, pedestrian walkways, shortcuts, sloped areas, areas lying in shade, or wet areas
• Identify which areas of the school site need to be kept clear of snow and ice and ensure that school staff or volunteers will assist with salting/gritting, or otherwise keeping the relevant parts of the site clear. They should know what actions to take - including undertaking these tasks safely
• Acquire protective clothing, shovels, for those clearing snow/ice. Ensure salt/sand/grit stocks are plentiful and order more if needed
• Set up your arrangements for communicating directly with parents as well as the wider community, if closure seems a real possibility. Confirm contacts for staff, parents, Norfolk County Council transport contact details
• Ensure all the information needed in advance is ready, including contacts (name, telephone numbers) for those who will collect children if parents are not available
• Estimate who among your staff will be able to get to site safely for the beginning of the day and how you will be able to manage the school in these circumstances
• Ensure the school has an incident management team for severe weather- amend your Business Continuity plan, (which enables you to identify and keep your activities running), as necessary.

When severe weather is forecast:

• Check the local forecast, as prevention is key. Act whenever freezing temperatures are forecast. Keep up to date by visiting your weather service website or Met Office (opens new window) website
• Put a procedure in place to prevent icy surfaces forming and/or keep people off slippery surfaces.
• Remind staff of the school's plans and expectation that the school would usually remain open
• Ensure that someone can get to the school site to answer the telephone and inform parents who are unaware of any closure
• Ensure that staff/parents are reminded of the process for receiving information about school opening hours and the general arrangements for severe weather
• Consider leaving heating on a low setting overnight. Where curtains or blinds are fitted these should be closed at night to retain heat. Doors between areas of differing temperatures should be kept closed as much as possible. Radiators should be kept clear of obstructions to enable a proper circulation of warmed air
• Using grit, or similar, on areas prone to be slippery in frosty/icy conditions. Gritting should be carried out when frost, ice or snow is forecast or when walkways are likely to be damp or wet and the ground temperatures are at or below, freezing. The best time is early evening before frost settles. If this is not possible, (or additional salt is required) use it early in the morning before people arrive. NB Salt doesn't work instantly; it needs enough time to dissolve into the moisture on the ground. Please remember, if you grit when it is raining heavily the salt will be washed away, causing a problem if the rain then turns to snow.

On the day(s) of severe weather

• Make the decision to stay open, open for limited hours, or close etc. as early as possible. Log in to the emergency school closures system  to notify as needed. Media will access this system directly
• Notify parents, pupils and staff by text, phone, email, as previously agreed
• Undertake ongoing risk assessments as appropriate, during the incident. Log specific actions taken.
• Divert pedestrians to less slippery walkways and barrier off hazardous ones. If warning cones are used, remember to remove these once the hazard has passed, or they will become ignored
• Ensure that you comply with health and safety legislation.

Afterwards

• Review your Business Continuity plan - to enable your service delivery to continue - and revise for the next year. Email NCC Resilience Team via businesscontinuity@norfolk.gov.uk ; call 01603 222016 for advice, if needed
• Update arrangements for calling together your incident management team in the light of any staff changes. Note any lessons identified from the recent incident and amend your plans as needed.

Useful Websites & Links

• Norfolk Schools website - Emergencies pages and Emergency school closures
• My School- Schools Emergency Contact and Keyholder Database
• Infospace (opens new window) (NB to access this site you will need to have purchased a Health, Safety and Wellbeing service via Educator Solutions.)
• Met Office (opens new window) website and the Met Office email alert service
• Exam System Contingency plan (opens new window)
• www.nhs.uk/keepwarmkeepwell (opens new window)
• 'Easy read' Cold Weather Plan for England (opens new window)

It is important that you check the building and review and undertake any repairs that may be required.

Essential maintenance for winter preparedness includes fixing leaking roofs and clearing gutters and blocked downpipes.   Ensure regular checks are completed for example;

• Areas of damp on interior walls should be investigated and the causes remedied
• Ensure that external ground is below the damp proof course.
• Check that brickwork is in good condition and pointing and rendering is all in place.
• Windows and doors should be free from water seepage, excessive drafts and broken glazing.
• Check that water pipes are suitably insulated
• Ensure gullies, drains, ditches and soak-aways are cleared.

Ensuring Access

Ensure safe access to the school setting during winter consider;

• Ensure autumn leaves are cleared
• Check there is a stock of grit and rock-salt obtained for dealing with ice build-up on walkways.
• Check external lighting.

All schools should have in place policies and procedures for ice and snow management.

It is important that pupils continue to enjoy access to outside areas for as long as possible. Risk assessments should be carried out to determine if outdoor play areas are safe or appropriate to use during bad weather.

Heating and Ventilation

Schools must check that adequate arrangements are in place in advance of colder weather  

• Boilers and heating systems should be regularly serviced
• All radiators should be working effectively. 
• Room temperatures should be monitored
• Review emergency repair arrangements
• Review of ventilation to ensure it is sufficient.

Business Continuity plans should be updated with action that needs to be taken in the event of a boiler or power failure.

As winter approaches staff and pupils in schools continue to be particularly susceptible to widespread infections.  Health plans and arrangements may need to be reviewed. School nurses are well placed to advise about health issues associated with cold weather.

Consider and review your action card on "shortage of staff" within your Business Continuity plan and be prepared to;

• Implement remote learning where possible
• Have plans for some flexibility of staff duties and activities
• Ensure schools are aware of attendance coding
• Have deep cleaning arrangements prepared if required

Wet and stormy winter weather inevitably raises the risks of more serious flooding and can cause problems on the school site as well as stopping staff or pupils from getting to school.

Schools should carry out appropriate assessments to determine flood risks and look out for flood warnings during periods of heavy rainfall. Flood warnings can be obtained from the Environment Agency online here or via the national Floodline telephone service on 0845 988 1188.

Where a risk is identified schools or Early Years providers should:

• Ensure that buildings are designed and managed to be as safe from flooding as possible
• Update Business Continuity plans for coping with both minor and major flooding disruption — these should include evacuation plans