'Safety of staff and students is paramount' says parent over school closures in Mansfield and Ashfield due to snow

Several schools announced closures on Friday, March 10, due to heavy snow hitting Mansfield and Ashfield.

Among the schools first to announce closure for the day were All Saints Catholic High School, Queen Elizabeth’s Academy and The Brunts Academy, with the safety of students and staff cited as reasons for the closures.

And parents across the area were quick to comment on the closures.

In a comment on Facebook, Jo Sanders said: “School leaders have to make decisions about the safety and welfare of their staff and students daily, often considering factors we as parents have no idea about.

“My Facebook is full of parents complaining that school is closed, school is still open, or they were informed of a closure "too late"

“I loved going to school in the snow, having "proper lessons" cancelled and getting longer playtime to build snowmen but it doesn't mean that's the right thing for schools to do now.”

Another parent from Mansfield, Katrina Lewis, who agreed with the closures, said: “It's about safety of everyone.

“Our school is closed but if it was open I wouldn't have sent my daughter in.

“We've been given work to do at home which includes playing in the snow. We don't get snow often.

“I'd rather my child be at home and safe than go to school in this weather.”

Emma Mack, from Clipstone, said: “Safety of both staff and students is paramount.

“Although students may live locally, staff may not.”

However, not all parents supported the school closures.

Tim Moreton, from Mansfield, said that schools should have opened later when it was predicted the sun would thaw out the snow in the afternoon.

Corin Tomlinson said: “Schools never used to close at the slightest bit of snow.”

Annette Parkin said: “Never closed when I was a child and we had loads more than this. I feel sorry for parents who have to lose a day off work and if there is a single parent, it’s a lot of money to lose.”