More ice and snow warnings in place after weather closes more than 1,000 UK schools

Can I get time off work if my child’s school is closed?published at 16:57 GMT 6 January

16:57 GMT 6 January

Image source, Reuters

As schools have been closed across the UK, here is what you need to know if classes are cancelled:

How do I know if my child’s school is closed?

Most local councils list school closures in their area on their websites.

Local media and radio stations often also share lists of school closures through the morning.

Who decides whether to close a school?

Schools set their own plans and policies on how to deal with adverse weather conditions.

As a result, it’s up to headteachers to decide whether it’s safe to open based on a risk assessment and taking other local issues like transport and access into account.

What will my child’s school do when it’s closed?

Schools will try to give parents as much notice as possible about a potential closure.

If it does close, then the Department for Education requires that a school should consider moving to remote learning until it is able to reopen.

Can I get time off work to look after my children?

The Employment Rights Act allows parents to take time off work “because of the unexpected disruption or termination of arrangements for the care of a dependent”.

But, this does not mean that the parent will definitely be paid for the time off work – whether this is the case will depend on the employers’ policies.