Grammar Closure

[EileenH]

Well my kids wouldn't have been walking from Glenramskill. And there are several kids round this way that go to the grammar. I agree that this post looks to be aimed at the person who made the decision to close the school. It has nothing to do with cars being able to make it up the hill. Jdcarra shows in his photos how quickly the main roads change. It was on the news a few days ago that a school had to keep it's staff and pupils overnight because the weather was so bad. Mr crossan made the right decision.

[Machrihanish]

WC1. My post isn't personal against anyone's decision. But I think your post above shows exactly why I think these decisions are somewhat misguided.

We will just have to agree to disagree. You are concentrating on the fact that cars couldn't get up Woodlands Drive and Hutcheon Road. That was not the only factor considered in making the decision.

Absolutely the right decision for the Headmaster to make! He looked at the 'bigger picture' and made the right call.

[ultraviolet]

WC1. My post isn't personal against anyone's decision. But I think your post above shows exactly why I think these decisions are somewhat misguided.

We will just have to agree to disagree. You are concentrating on the fact that cars couldn't get up Woodlands Drive and Hutcheon Road. That was not the only factor considered in making the decision.

Look I can assure you it isn't anything personal. I have the utmost respect for you as the Rector of Campbeltown Grammar School. I still think the kids in Campbeltown should have went and that is the point of this thread. Discussion.

Well my kids wouldn't have been walking from Glenramskill.

Nobody said they had to Eileen. I'm sure you could have drove them in to Campbeltown and they could have walked the rest. My goodness children walking! I would also and why not let them walk the whole way. Doesn't do them any harm. Or shall we wrap the poor wee souls up in cotton wool for the rest of their lives. All I can say is well done Castlehill and Dalintober!

[EileenH]

With the roads the way they are ( the previous evening a car went through a wall along the road from me), I don't drive at all in this weather. I had a car crash years ago in this weather so don't get behind the wheel in this weather. So, no, I wouldn't be driving them into town. And no, my kids are not wrapped in cotton wool either. I bet your child who's in the grammar was happy not to be in school yesterday! It is a thread for discussion but I think you're the only one on it with this opinion.

[Ags]

Och well Ultraviolet.....hopefully CGS will be open on Monday and a wee space for you can be found in an English class

[howlsatthemoon]

It is a thread for discussion but I think you're the only one on it with this opinion.

Sorry, but I have the same opinion as ultraviolet. WC1 said that he could not get up the hill, I take it he means that he could not get up the hill in his car, but he could have walked up the hill. As far as I am aware no buses were cancelled so the roads were passable, maybe not very nice to travel in but passable. The two primary schools managed to stay open so in my opinion the Grammar school shut down a little bit to soon.

[WC1]

I take it he means that he could not get up the hill in his car, but he could have walked up the hill.

After several unsuccessful attempts to get round the next two bends I managed to get the car into a space in front of the Hutcheon Road houses and abandoned it there.

Try to pay attention, that boy!

As far as I am aware no buses were cancelled so the roads were passable, maybe not very nice to travel in but passable.

Incorrect. No marks.

[ultraviolet]

With the roads the way they are ( the previous evening a car went through a wall along the road from me), I don't drive at all in this weather. I had a car crash years ago in this weather so don't get behind the wheel in this weather. So, no, I wouldn't be driving them into town. And no, my kids are not wrapped in cotton wool either. I bet your child who's in the grammar was happy not to be in school yesterday! It is a thread for discussion but I think you're the only one on it with this opinion.

Eileen. That is the problem. People have an opinion and if the minority don't agree their wrong. I'm certainly not going in the hufff with anyone regarding their view point. As for my child. No, actually no.

Och well Ultraviolet.....hopefully CGS will be open on Monday and a wee space for you can be found in an English class

Ags. How childish indeed.

[Lel]

Just thought i'd add some of our experiences from 'up the road' over the last 3 weeks.

Our schools opened on Monday 29th Nov only to close at 1pm and stay closed for the rest of the week. The following Monday (6th Dec) we again were asked to send children to school despite the treacherous conditions we were experiencing. This resulted in a call at 11am from the school to come and collect your child(ren) as soon as possible.

Unfortunately I was at work 11 miles away so as soon as I was able I left work to attepmt the journey home. After driving 5 miles in 2.5 hours I abandoned the car and walked the remaining 6 miles home in the snow.

I can understand both points of view above as it can be difficult to arrange childcare etc at short notice however if the Head Teacher decides it is in the best interests of the children to close the school then he will not have taken the decision lightly and will have taken various things into account and advice from different sources.

In my local authority, closure decisions are made centrally by the Education Department and not the Head Teachers, who in my opinion have a better insight into the conditions affecting their particular area and are better placed to make appropriate decisions.

The debate will continue however the safety of staff/pupils should be the most important factor in all of this. On a brighter note - I'm sure most of the children had great fun playing in the snow!

[EileenH]

Ultraviolet, I never suggested you were in a huff. Howlsathemoon, you only just came in with your opinion on the last post there. Neither of you obviously have the slightest bit of consideration for the safety of both the kids and bus drivers in the town. Funnily enough I notice neither of you can be recognised by your forum names. You obviously don't want to be known for your selfish opinions. I can understand why.

[ultraviolet]

Neither of you obviously have the slightest bit of consideration for the safety of both the kids and bus drivers in the town.

So Eileen, my posts questionning some of the logic behind the decision means I do not have the slightest bit of consideration for the safety of both kids and bus drivers in the town? I give up!!!! Why can't we all have a discussion without the petty innuendos? Yes, I do have consideration but I fail to see why the Grammar should close for the minority of children. Both the Campbeltown Primary Schools have children who stay in the country so are we now to say the headteachers there have no consideration for the safety of the kids by not closing the school? In fact the headteacher at Castlehill stays 11 miles outside Campbeltown!

Funnily enough I notice neither of you can be recognised by your forum names. You obviously don't want to be known for your selfish opinions. I can understand why.

I fail to see the significance of your point EileenH. I don't know who you are and your real name or else makes no difference to me. I welcome your opinion like the next person. Does that make you selfish? No. Does it make me selfish? Yes, it would appear so.

[tony]

Roads here in Southend are treacherous...no snow plough or gritter lorry near us all weekend. No way car will get out. Doubtful if the school bus will manage round our hill in the morning. Are schools open tomorrow?

[knock]

Tony
The snow plough went to Southend three times yesterday, I guess they're only dealing with main roads and not the side roads. Snowing again tonight . Hats off to the council for trying to clear the roads but in conditions like these it's almost impossible to keep it clear
We've struggled with our farm road, the main road is passable as long as you take it slowly.
Drive carefully folks

[ullean's mum]

The snow plough went to Southend three times yesterday, I guess they're only dealing with main roads and not the side roads
So what is the MAIN road from carradale to the town classed as then???,it never saw a bit o grit never mind a gritter or plough until folk put in complaints to councillors !!!

[knock]

I don't really want to get involved in a debate about the gritters. However I do know that my colleague followed the gritter BACK from carradale yesterday ! She felt safer following them