THE leader of Manchester council has attacked education bosses for closing schools ‘unnecessarily’ as the Arctic weather continues to grip the region. And as office workers began returning to work after an enforced break, they have been told they face having their pay docked.
Schools to stay closed on Friday
The double controversy comes after the worst snow for 30 years. At least 94 of Manchester’s 169 primaries and secondaries remained shut today – two days after the blizzard descended on the city.
Council leader Sir Richard Leese said the closures were ‘a matter of concern’. But Jerry Bartlett, deputy general secretary of NASUWT – Manchester’s largest teachers’ union – said: “It would be grossly irresponsible to put the health, safety and welfare of children at risk by requiring them to travel to school in unsafe conditions.
“I don't think it's appropriate for a politician to seek to substitute his judgement for that of professional head teachers.”
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Sir Richard claimed school closures were hitting children’s education and affecting other key services – like health – by forcing workers to stay at home and look after children.
In an email to fellow councillors, obtained by the M.E.N, he said he believed the vast majority of schools should be open today.
He wrote: “School closures are causing concern as many today seem to be unnecessary and, apart from the obvious impact on our children’s education, are having a knock-on impact on other services including health because of staff having to take leave to look after their children.”
Sir Richard told the M.E.N. he saw no reason so many schools should be closed when 80 per cent of council staff were at work, libraries were open, and public transport was operating almost as normal.
He said it was ‘entirely reasonable’ for schools to be closed on Tuesday, ‘less reasonable’ to be closed yesterday , and ‘even less reasonable’ to be closed today. But Simon Ashley, leader of the Lib Dem opposition on the council, said: “We have got to respect the professionals making these decisions – it should not be a political matter.
“Sir Richard doesn't know what he is talking about.” A total of 422 schools across Greater Manchester announced they will remain closed today. All 102 schools in Salford were closed today and in Manchester, 94 of 169 primary and secondary schools were shut. Only one school in Stockport was open yesterday. In Oldham, 27 of 120 schools were confirmed shut with many more expected to stay closed and in Tameside 85 of 90 closed their doors.
Rochdale confirmed 10 of 92 secondaries and primaries were closed and a Wigan council spokesman said 47 schools were closed, but both councils expected more closures.
John Warmisham, of Salford council, said: “We have many members of staff coming from areas like Bolton and Wigan, and areas of Salford can be difficult to get to. About 99.9 percent of schools had members of staff missing. It made common sense to close them all.”
But bosses outside education are less forgiving. The majority of public bodies and private firms contacted by the M.E.N. said housebound workers would lose a day’s pay or make up the hours at a later date.
Alan Manning, regional secretary of the TUC, said: “Employees have a responsibility to get to work but the idea that people will lose out because of the extreme weather is unfair. It would be short-sighted of employers to dock pay in these circumstances and would create resentment.”
Public sector union Unison also urged councils, hospitals and schools to show goodwill to staff ‘keeping essential services running’.
Many local authorities – including Manchester and Rochdale – said staff unable to travel would be expected to work from home, use leave, or make up the hours. Major employers such as Tesco, Manchester Airport, and Kellogg's in Trafford Park, confirmed they would also expect staff to make up the time, take it as leave, or swap their shifts.
But Chris Bagley, from the Manchester branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, felt many small firms would shy away from docking workers’ pay – but would expect staff to pull their weight when they returned after the snow problems.
Schools to stay closed on Friday
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Weather like this once in about ?40? years it's not like schools are closed every day. The less traffic on the roads by the school run the less accidents and the more chance of the essential workers(NHS etc) being able to get into work, so many of them had to turn back on Tuesdaybecause of the chaos. Education is vitally important and I understand it is a difficult time for small businesses but I would rather have my children alive, they cant be 15A* GCSE pupils if they arent here any more! Seems to me, credit crunch, crippling weather maybe another lesson in showing us whats really important in life.
So first everyone is tild to stay home unless it's an emergency and then they are critisised for staying home?
People on small roads genuinely have problems driving- no one on my cul-de-sac could get their cars out. There were very few buses running. How are people supposed to get to work?
This 'Sir' Richard is just trying to make sure the 'little people' pay for the problems, not the government.
Richard Leese... Yawn.
All the man ever does is moan and complain, as leader why does he not lead and take action?
All done in the name of Health and Safety.
What I cant get my head around is, our two boys have lost 3 days schooling on account of the heavy snow, Tuesdays closure I agree was totally acceptable when it was snowing heavy, now it has all turned to ice which in my opinion is much worse than snow.
Eventually the penny will drop that we will all have to get on with it and adapt as they do in Nordic country's ,or will the powers that be decide that it is just to dangerous to ask Teachers and pupils to travel on icy roads and pavements
If the latter is the case then some schools could be shut for at least another week..
The economy is suffering unnecessarily from the knock on effects off decisions made by Health and Safety conscious bureaucrats that obviously don't live in the real world, and who don't have to worry about paying a mortgage or finding a child minder.
All done in the name of Health and Safety.
What I cant get my head around is, our two boys have lost 3 days schooling on account of the heavy snow, Tuesdays closure I agree was totally acceptable when it was snowing heavy, now it has all turned to ice which in my opinion is much worse than snow.
Eventually the penny will drop that we will all have to get on with it and adapt as they do in Nordic country's ,or will the powers that be decide that it is just to dangerous to ask Teachers and pupils to travel on icy roads and pavements
If the latter is the case then some schools could be shut for at least another week..
The economy is suffering unnecessarily from the knock on effects off decisions made by Health and Safety conscious bureaucrats that obviously don't live in the real world and who don't have to worry about paying a mortgage or finding a child minder.
WHat has this country come to when it's too dangerous for children to walk a few yards to their primary school in the snow. Have we become so reliant on the nanny state that our shildren cannot even walk in snow? What next? well it was raining hard and the pavement was too wet so we closed the school?
If it is irresponsible to risk health and saftey by travelling shouldn't that go for everyone? perhaps we should switch off the lights and go home!
Of course that's the world the loonie left would have us live in, fortunately it hasn't got that bad in real life, but it has in our schools. Not so many years ago teachers who couldn't travel to their school had to make their way to the nearest one and cover for other teachers who hadn't made it in, the system worked quite well with only a few schools having to be closed, and most children easily able to get in. This is certainly the case for primary schools where most people have one close to them.
Secondary schools are a little different and some require students to travel considerable distances, however there is no good reason why they cannot remain open for those who do make it in.
Teachers are far too ready to throw in the towel & rely on Health & Safety as an excuse. I can only hope that they won't be being paid like many others, for not bothering to undertake their highly paid profession.
If Sir Richard is so worried about the schools being opened maybe he should have made sure that the roads and pavements were gritted so that people could get there!
We will hear of many more people having their pay docked as a result of police messages like "only travel if it's absolutely necessary".
Maybe Sir Richard's time would be better spent finding out what happened to the gritters. Or is it easier to divert attention away from the real problems?
Well, as a teacher who spent yesterday hunched over the laptop working on materials and in e-dialogue with colleagues and the Senior Leadership Team I would like to point out that we were as frustrated as Sir Richard at the impediment to teaching.
One problem is that many teachers live a long way from their schools. On Tuesday when I got to school having got up and started out twenty minutes early several had got stuck on motorways or taken several hours to get in if they had not received the message telling them the school was closed.
Schools are damned if they do and damned if they don't sometimes- having to give people notice the day before and sending children home after they have waded in not being a popular option.
Having been a parent myself with grandparents a couple of hundred miles away I sympathise with the issue of childcare; perhaps they should find who their children's friends are and buddy up with a couple of others to work a rotation- and keep heating bills down.
Schools will also be publishing work that can be done independently should this situation reoccur or go on for long. Not ideal, but we are working to get students learning and being independent, so anyone who thinks such a stimulus is a waste of time may be missing some real opportunities. Of course we can all write “a poem on a snowflake”- but we can go beyond that with projects such as looking at microclimates, insulation, defrosting/thawing agents- and there's lots of opportunity for other areas. Students can also reflect upon the effects of climate change and critically evaluate the mistaken beliefs of those who use this cold snap to deny the reality which responsible scientists do not doubt.
So let's not point fingers please Sir Richard, we still face the same targets which see people working 12 hour days and appreciate that every opportunity matters!
Chilly Teacher.
How come only 80 per cent of council staff are at work? It's very simple - you get up and you get out earlier and you simpy get on with it. But in the well insulated world of the public sector, there's nothign at stake, so no-one gives a damn.
Had Manchester City Council together with othere Council's in the region done a better job of gritting our roads then maybe the schools would have stayed open. Regarding the 20% that didn't make it to the Council offices I trust their pay will be docked like in the private sector.
I have several friends who are teachers on Facebook and they're giving it the whole 'I love snow' etc thing. However you can't blame them if the school decides to close.
It's a disgrace that ALL Salford schools are closed today, an absolute disgrace and someone should be very embarassed.
It sets a bad example to the rest of the workforce, especially the younger ones. Literally all these schools being closed is keeping many more people off work.
To the teacher who says they are all at home frustrated and lurched over laptops, I don't even think you believe that yourself. If snowman building was a GCSE subject, we'd have the best teahcers in the world.
""The less traffic on the roads by the school run the less accidents and the more chance of the essential workers(NHS etc) being able to get into work""
As long as the essential workers don't have children - or have a partner who can stay at home and look after them
Another point:
Jose Adamson, if we can teach children how this is a part of global warming, can you first teach me please.
Here was I thinking it was more to do with an unusual cycle of air pressure.
Jose, your political views regarding global warming are probably similar to mine. However, as a teacher, to use this event to gain what is basically political mileage for your own views is wildly inappropriate.
Children should be taught facts, not opinions and not 'facts' weighted to your own beliefs.
Schools are too quick to close. This is more a reflection of the fact that teachers do not live locally if they did then they would be able to get to school and work. The police did make it a condition of their employment that they lived within a short distance of their place of work. Schools closing has a knock on effect as then people have to take time off work to look after their kids and this at a time of one of the worst recessions. and as for Man Cunian there's a couple of things below your waist try using them they're called legs !!!!
Seems to me the children are forgotten reading comments from teachers complaining were just a child minding service.I WOULDN,T LIKE to have the majority of whinging teachers child minding my grandchildren.Whats wrong with the American system where every day lost another is added to the year even if 2 weeks off school the year is simply extended.Children 1st,Staff 2nd.Without children believe it or not teachers you,d be out of a job. If teacher live far away and they can,t make it then dock their pay like a lot of people.You read of people walking miles to get to work by leaving early and what is wrong with parents and kids,though most are just too idle so clog the roads.USED to be a lorry driver and the main points to avoid if possible were school areas and council office buildings around 0845 to 1000 and you have been on the road since 0300 am ,all weathers.Sure the Union and Health and Safety will have their way ,how can we live without them
So in the school summer holidays deduct a week.
As a teacher who turned up to work yesterday to be told that not only would the children not be allowed to attend due to Health and Safety regulations but also that I must not remain on the premises,the suggestion that "Teachers are far too ready to throw in the towel & rely on Health & Safety as an excuse" angers me!
It is easy to blame the 'Health and Safety card' but if it had been a child of yours who slipped on the ice and injured themselves, then you would probably complain about the schools lack of regard for the safety of the pupils.
Jobs in teaching are few and far between and as a result, sometimes a long commute as a teacher is unavoidable as you go where the work is!
The health and safety brigade have ruined this country. Surely if children play, sledge and run in the snow then they can walk to school aided by adults. The private sector hasn't ground to a halt and businesses and staff have been pulling together to keep things going so why can't the public sector do the same. What ever happened to the caretakers who used to clear the school pathways of snow and local parents helping if there are staff shortages.
Schools should be leading by example and encouraging children to adapt. These are the employees of the future and all they are being taught is that it is acceptable to stay at home if the weather is adverse.
It's time to stop the nanny state syndrome, stop the blame and claim culture and educate the children.
There are several issues here. Years ago, teachers lived reasonably locally to where they worked. That is no longer the case. Years ago families would have 1 working parent and the mum stayed at home. That is no longer the case. Years ago children didn't have far to go to get to school, they went to the local infant, primary and then secondary school. The nearest to where they lived. That is no longer the case.
Unfortunately we now have teachers and children travelling quite long distances to get to these places of education. I am still not back in work. I can't get my car up the road (there is an incline) to get to the main road which incidentally although it has been gritted is still an inch deep in slush and treacherous.
To all those complaining my answer is this...................
I do not have a job where not going in will bring the NHS, Police or fire service to a stand still. I am not a care worker and more importantly I do not get paid enough to risk my life and other road users lives to get to work when the roads are so bad. I am a fairly confidant driver however other people who are trying to drive at the moment are not and they are the ones who are causing most risks.
Rather than dock their pay perhaps they could take it as time back for the million of hours unpaid overtime worked by public sector staff every single day of the week in hospitals, care homes, schools etc.
At my daughters school the teachers are in today clearing ice and snow so the school can open tomorrow but I dont suppose Leese or the private sector gurus who have put this country in debt for the next generation will be commenting on that!
PS Is this the same guy that invited half a million scottish hooligans to Manchester?
The walk to and from school has nothing to do with the school - as a parent it is my responsibility and no one else's to ensure they get there safely. Once there keep them in until I come for them again. If schools have to be closed because teacher's can't get there and live some distance away then fair enough but citing 'health and safety' is just not good enough. Thanks to a 'teacher training' day on Monday, my children have now not been in school since 17 December. Open them up, tell parents they won't be penalised if they can't get the children in but make the classroom available if you have the staff. We are telling children that education is not important and at the slightest whim, we can dismiss it. Tuesday yes, I agreed with the closure, yesterday.....maybe, today, absolutely not (and I am just basing this on my children's schools in Trafford). My son is at home today, my daughter is in school - the buildings are 200 yards apart from one another. Work together and combine teaching resources, buildings etc, some education is better than none.
My wife works in a council childrens centre in North Manchester. My daughter attends attends a local state school. The school closed before christmas due to snow, they hope to re-open next Monday. My wife was one of the M/c council employees who made it to work on Tuesday,(2hrs for a 20min drive), to be told on arrival that the councilhad told the centre to close. Our 4yr old daughter accompanied her, I acknowledge we are lucky in that her employer reluctantly agreed she could bring her. Following the 2hr return trip, the car had to be abandond half a mile from home, they walked the rest of the way home.
The following day the car was snow bound, no gritters, ploughs or public transport. Her manager advised don't travel, the police advised don't travel, the highways agency advised don't travel, the BBC news advised don't travel. She didn't.
But because Richard Leese gets in to be on TV (does he go home or claim for a hotel in the city centre?)she & her colleagues have been threatened with disciplinary proceedings & have been instructed by their employer that they must open because 10 parents complained, (for info 7 of the 10 don't work.) 4 LEA schools within 1/4 of a mile of the centre are all closed due to adverse weather and Heath & Safety grounds, no problem there though.
There is no consistancy, Salford & Stockport closed all schools & nurserys. There is no infra structure to cope with events such as this, public transport is a joke, did Lease not notice he was the only muppet in town on Tuesday? I would suggest rather than trying to make the news, he watch it and then come up with a strategy to ensure that roads & communication lines are kept open so all can continue as normal. P.S. I work & I walked, 4 days in & still no sign of gritters, busses, bin men, but well done Mr Postie, every day regular as clock work. And did you know that most school heating systems in Manchester are controlled centrally by the council, they decide to leave it switched off during the winter break & over the cold snap to save a few quid with the result that everything freezes or breaks down. Not to worry, it probably pays for Leeses hotel & expenses!
I work for a Council and my pay will not be docked as I will simply take flexi leave or book one of my days holidays i have left - ha ha