Dear Parent/Carer s9

MINEHEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL Ponsford Road Minehead TA24 5RH T: (01643) 704191 F: (01643) 705693 E: [email protected] W: www.mineheadmiddle.somerset.sch.uk CEO: PZ Rushforth B. Ed, Ad Dip Ed, MA Head of School: D Hartley BA, M Ed

20 November 2015 Dear Parent

SEVERE WEATHER ARRANGEMENTS Although we generally enjoy mild conditions in this part of the country, there is always the possibility of bad weather disrupting transport of pupils to school or making conditions unsafe on the school site. About a third of our pupils travel to school by bus, many from the more exposed parts of West Somerset and many pupils use their bicycles. Our first priority is to ensure the safety of our pupils. We will use local radio to inform parents if the school is closed (information about these stations is overleaf). There will also be a message on the school answer machine (but please be aware we only have 3 telephone lines so they can get busy). If we have your mobile number we will also use our computer system to text you to say if the school is closed (but please do not rely solely on this method as we have found in the past that it can take a while for texts to reach their destinations.) There will be a message posted on the school website under ‘Urgent Messages’: www.mineheadmiddle.somerset.sch.uk

A Pupils Travelling to School by Bus  It is the bus contractors who will decide whether conditions are safe enough to collect the children. In making their decision they will make use of their considerable local knowledge, together with information from the Police and Local Authority Highways Department.  Parents should tune in to local radio stations, frequencies overleaf, for up-to-date information about any changes in local transport arrangements or go to the County Council’s website for up to date school and transport news: www.somerset.gov.uk/badweathertransport. County Transport will also send a text message to mobile and landline numbers. To register your number please call Taunton & West Somerset Transport office on 01823 355666.  Should there be any doubt in your mind as to whether your child’s bus will run, the information will be available at the relevant telephone number on the list overleaf. Please avoid ringing the school if at all possible. We have 3 telephone lines but they quickly become jammed if everyone calls.  If the bus is to run, pupils should make their way to the usual pick-up points, provided this can be done safely. They should then wait for a reasonable length of time to allow for any delays which may have occurred before considering returning home. B Deteriorating Conditions During the School Day  We have a well-practised plan of action when weather conditions seem likely to deteriorate during the school day.  We use information from bus contractors, local Police and the telephone weather service to make any decisions about sending children home early.  If road conditions threaten to become unsafe, buses from those areas will come into school immediately. Pupils will be summoned from their classes to return home early in those circumstances.  Parents should ensure that their child(ren) know what to do if they have to come home early.  Pupils from areas where conditions are not unsafe will remain in school as normal. C Pupils not Travelling by Bus  The school policy is to open unless to do so might put the children at risk of injury. Many staff live in Bridgwater and Taunton and there may be occasions when we cannot open the school because we don’t have enough adults to ensure everyone is safe. Pupils are expected to make their way in to school unless parents consider it is unsafe to do so.

These events are very rare indeed and we hope that this winter will pass safely for all our children and parents. Please keep this letter safely for reference.

Yours sincerely Mr Billy McNeilly School Transport Co-ordinator SCHOOL TRANSPORT ROUTES TO MINEHEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL 2014 – 2015

ROUTE COMPANY NO. ROUTE DETAILS Ridlers RD457 Wheddon Cross – Timberscombe – MMS (WSC) (01398) 323398 C306 Blue Anchor/Carhampton – MMS (WSC) C319B Porlock – MMS C308 Battleton / Brushford / WheddX / Timberscombe MMS (WSC) C317B Luccombe/Wootton Courtenay – MMS (WSC)

Upton Coaches C312A Luxborough / Withycombe MMS (WSC) (01398) 371271

Allerford Minibus C289D Oare, Porlock MMS (St Dub/WSC) (01643) 862222 C496B Watchet – MMS(WSC)

County Council Website Mini Bus WheddX/Dulverton/Cutcombe C330A

Radio Stations: BBC Somerset FM 95.5 & Online Heart Somerset FM 102.6 & Online The Breeze Radio FM 100.8, 102.4 or 107.4

County Council Website: http://www.somerset.gov.uk/badweathertransport

Taunton & West Somerset Transport Office: 01823 355666