Severe weather policy: guidance and examples

What to include in your policy

When the school can be closed

Reasons for closure might include:

• Health and safety: the school site or the journey to school will constitute a risk
• Lack of staff: there aren't enough staff members available to run the school safely

Steps to keep the school open

Include any temporary measures you will take to try to keep the school open if some staff can’t make it to work.

Consider combining classes, using other school staff to provide cover for supervision, or rearranging the curriculum to work around staff shortages.

You are allowed to temporarily exceed infant class size limits in these circumstances.

See the DfE’s emergency planning and response guidance for more information.

Include any steps you will take to make the school site safe. For example:

• Encourage pupils to bring coats, hats, and gloves when it is cold or snowing
• Use grit and/or salt on paths around the school site
• Advise pupils to bring a snack if catering facilities are at risk of being interrupted

Your school closure procedure

Your policy should include

• The role of the headteacher and governing body in deciding to close the school
• How you will inform staff and parents about closures
• Include the procedure for deciding to close the school at the start of the day, and if you have to close the school part-way through the day.

The Key's article on emergency school closures has more guidance on communication with parents.

Remote learning

Link to your school’s remote learning policy. 

Note that you may still be able to deliver lessons remotely when the physical school site is shut. Exceptions might include times when extreme weather has affected power or internet access in your area.

Policies from schools

Primary schools

The Bramptons Primary School, a community school in Northamptonshire, has an adverse weather policy. It includes cases of snow and cases of heavy rain before and during the school day.

St Botolphs CE Primary School in Leicestershire, includes several methods of contacting parents in its policy (scroll down to ‘severe weather’).

Secondary schools

St Gregory’s in Bath has procedures for severe weather at the start of the school day and during the school day. Scroll down to ‘Key documents and policies’ and click on ‘Severe weather notice to parents’.

Cowley International College in Merseyside sets out the responsibilities of different members of staff in its ‘Snow and Ice Policy'.