Even with safety surfaces, we can’t beat the wild weather conditions!

Hundreds of schools across the country shut their doors this week as the UK braved the heaviest snowfall for 18 years. Children were given more days off school because playgrounds were said to be too icy for children to play in.

More problems were faced for parents trying to arrange childcare as over 15 schools cancelled lessons, even with the improved weather conditions.

Eight schools were closed in Sutton, three in Tower Hamlets and Quintin Kynaston secondary school in St John's Wood was open only to older exam pupils.

Jo Shuter, the school's “Award-Winning” Headteacher, said younger pupils were being kept out of school for "health and safety reasons". The playground was too large for the school's staff to treat with its limited supply of grit, she said.

"Today we are open for the older exam children but we have got issues with our playground still being full of compact snow which has turned to ice," she said. "It is lethal for the kids as they will throw it at each other playing. They will hurl it around and there will be a terrible accident.

"There is absolutely no way that I would close a school unless I was absolutely convinced it was what I had to do. It is so easy for a kid to lose their eye if a bit of ice gets thrown at them."

Younger pupils - who are "not as sensible"- will be kept at home today until gritting contractors can come in to treat the playground areas, she said.

Parents texted each other to inform one another about the closures, there are websites that can help a good site to check to see if your child’s school is open -
http://www.snowday.co.uk/SchoolList.asp

Also yesterday, more than 1,000 nurseries across the UK closed for a second day, leaving more than 500,000 children at home.

Boroughs said most schools were re-opening again today. However watch out and get prepared for Thursday and Friday’s weather warnings as it looks like we are in for more snow! Children’s safety is paramount in all this, keeping the playground safe, so even if it is that children have to stay at home at least they are safe from harm.

Keep your playground safe with a wetpour rubber safety surface, Soft Play Surfaces have a website that will tell you all about these safety playground products. See our website here…www.softplaysurfaces.com