The School Day

Following consultation, in order to meet DfE expectations, from Monday 4th September 2023, the school day will be as follows:

Key Stages 1 and 2 have a 15-minute break in the morning.

Please ensure that children are promptly and safely dropped off and picked up on time.

Extended Provision

All Saints, Datchworth offers extended provision both before and after the regular school day. To find out more about Rising Stars Wraparound Care, please visit our Extended Provision page.

Emergency School Closure Notification

In the event that the school needs to close at short notice, such as adverse weather or snow, here are some guidelines and information about how the school will communicate with our school community:

‘Closing the school may be the right decision where the judgement is that students or staff face significant risk of serious injury in school or travelling to school.  But remember that every lesson counts and consider whether it is reasonably practical to keep open.’ (DfE)

‘Unless specifically told otherwise, staff will be expected to use their best endeavours to attend work without putting themselves or others at risk. When the police and motoring organisations, such as the AA, recommend that motorists undertake only essential journeys this is considered to include travel to work and school.’ (HCC)

The Headteacher, Governors and premises staff assess the situation in terms of health and safety. We also consult with other local schools. If conditions pose a significant risk, the school will close. There is a robust system for notifying families which includes:

• Updating the school’s Twitter feed
• Updating the school website www.datchworth.herts.sch.uk (the Twitter feed appears on the homepage on the left-hand side)
• Notifying all parents/carers via an e-mail from the school’s admin account
• Contacting families via an SMS from School Gateway

If a substantial amount of snow falls during the day, Senior Leadership may decide that the school day should be shortened, with an earlier pick-up, so that staff and pupils can leave the site in order to get home safely in the daylight. School day times may be altered during these situation, with registers remaining open longer at drop-off, or either a later start or an earlier pick-up.

When we remain open, risk assessments will be undertaken to ensure the health and safety of staff, pupils and all site users. Our premises staff have an action plan to follow, which includes clearing and gritting paths and walkways.

There are a number of options which may be adopted, in the case of severe weather, to ensure continuity in teaching and learning for example:

• Certain classes may be asked to stay at home in a specific Key Stage.
• The school is closed to all pupils.
• School is open but there is a reduced number of staff. Classes may be reorganised with priority being given to the youngest pupils.
• For pupils not on site, remote learning may be used. In advance, class teachers may prepare work which can be delivered virtually.

The decision to close the school is complicated and not taken lightly. Hopefully the above will show some of the strategies, which will be used in the event of snow or other adverse conditions, for which a school closure may be necessary.

• School Closure Procedure Letter (302.90KB)