Grammar Closure

[ultraviolet]

Surely a small flurry of snow isn't enough to close the Grammar School today? Why can the Grammar school close and the primaries remain open? Hardly the end of the world that we have snow!

[Mr.Everready]

The Grammar school has a far bigger area for the pupils/teachers to travel from, Carradale, Southend etc. The primary schools are far more local so most of the pupils are within walking distance.

[EileenH]

The grammar is in a bad place to get to in the snow. I've tried going up hutcheon road the last time it snowed- not easy! Also, we live round Glenramskill and my kids said the bus slid a few times. I would far rather the school closed than have kids put at risk trying to get there. I think the headmasters decision was the right one- and so do my kids!

[ultraviolet]

The Grammar school has a far bigger area for the pupils/teachers to travel from, Carradale, Southend etc. The primary schools are far more local so most of the pupils are within walking distance.

Yes, quite appreciate that but I don't think a whole school should be closed due to a minority of pupils if this is the case.

The grammar is in a bad place to get to in the snow. I've tried going up hutcheon road the last time it snowed- not easy! Also, we live round Glenramskill and my kids said the bus slid a few times. I would far rather the school closed than have kids put at risk trying to get there. I think the headmasters decision was the right one- and so do my kids!

I am quite sure your kids are EileenH! Just seems that we have schools and businesses closing when they could be open.

Too many people using cars nowadays to leave their kids to school via Hutcheon Road. Whats the matter with leaving them at the car park at Ralston Road and telling them to walk!

[EileenH]

Have you ever tried driving at Ralston road when the schools are going in and coming out? You should try it sometime then you would understand why parents go up hutcheon road! There are too many buses trying to get in and out the turning point and pupils trying to cross the road. My kids get the bus to and from school. So it's only when they have musical instruments etc to carry that I take them. The issue with the school being off today is all about safety.

[WC1]

Hardly a small flurry. When I went up to the school at 6.30 this morning it took me four attempts just to get round the first corner in front of Limecraigs House. 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. The morning cleaning team was down to one person who also walked in because the car got stuck on the hill. The Met Office and XC Weather forecasts both predicted further snowfalls in the course of the day, heaviest around mid-day. They've been right so far. It's not just a matter of pupils being able to walk in from the town itself. If staff can't get in they'd just have to be sent home anyway. Little by way of education would have been possible. We'd just have been providing a child-minding service. As for the country pupils, you can maybe get them in, but can you guarantee they'll get home? These decisions are not taken lightly and it's usually a case of "damned if you do, damned if you don't".

[Mr.Everready]

Looking out the window now I'd say the kids/teachers wouldn't have got home if they went in today.

[Ags]

I have never seen anything like the afternoon we have had in Machrihanish so i think the decision to close today was absolutely the right one.
I sent a text to a friend in Primary School at 1pm which said "if you have any children from Machrihanish in school I'd send them home now unless you want them for a sleepover".
We have just been along the snowy beach for a walk and it is beautiful......if only it would stay off the roads.

[EileenH]

I heard earlier that the bus couldn't get round the Carradale road this morning to pick school kids up. Also, the snow is bad on the southend road. My kids have had a great day sledging today. Something that doesn't happen very often. This is the first day the school has had to close it's doors due to weather conditions. I have family in helensburgh and their kids schools have all been closed several times over the past few weeks due to the weather. So, I don't think anyone should be complaining about the decision to close the school today.

[knock]

I live on the way to Southend, the road is a nightmare Looks like there's more to come, as well. Made it home but it took almost 30 mins to get there Castlehill school sent the teachers from southend home early. However, children from southend area that attend castlehill, weren't sent home , most of them get the bus but my two don't so it meant I had to wait in town till school came out

[witchnettle]

I live in carradale and had to go into town last night to get my son and some other 3rd years off the panto trip bus and that was very scary, so I was glad when i got the text this morning that the school was closed, especially when we heard that the gritter had broken down at Torrisdale and the rest of the road was like an ice rink, I think the school got it spot on, better to be safe than sorry.

[jdcarra]

Looking out the window now I'd say the kids/teachers wouldn't have got home if they went in today.

Your post at 15.19

Driving into Campbeltown along the esplanade today at 13.50.


Hurrying to get up the road to Carradale after the blizzard started.Taken at Kilcousland 15.23


Nearing the bridge at Low Smerby, conditions terrible 15.24


Peninver hill at 15.27.


Luckily we got home ok.

[ultraviolet]

Hardly a small flurry. When I went up to the school at 6.30 this morning it took me four attempts just to get round the first corner in front of Limecraigs House. 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.

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. CARS!!!! Are you saying it was impossible to walk to the school? I know for a fact it wasn't. I walked my dog yesterday morning at 7am up to the school and back round Limecraigs.

On the whole perhaps the right decision but what kind of message does it send out to the children if we all say we couldn't get to work because my car struggled up a hill? The exact same hill I could have left my car and walked? The whole of Britain seems to come to a standstill when it snows nowadays. I had one child at school yesterday and one that didn't. Three hundred meters apart.

[the ice maiden]

Same for me ultraviolet, one in Castlehill and one in the Grammar, but I am thankful that Mr Crossan closed the Grammar. I know it was up to parents discretion to send your child to Castlehill, mines was desperate to go because it was his Christmas party (think if this wasn't the case he would have chose to stay at home). To be honest, are you not looking a wee bit too much into this? Children's, teachers and staff safety and practicality are foremost when decisions like this are being made, and as Willie said, they are not taken lightly.

[WC1]

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.