Schools in Reading and in the Whitley area in particular were singled out for praise in the Commons today by Reading West MP Martin Salter in response to a Ministerial statement by Sadiq Khan MP on the severe weather conditions and their impact on public services. Mr Salter highlighted the efforts of the staff, parents, and governors at Geoffrey Field Junior and other Whitley schools, who spent the weekend clearing ice and snow in preparation for opening this morning. This was in contrast to some of the schools in the West Berkshire of his constituency which still remain closed.

Speaking in the Commons, Martin Salter said:-

“Would the Minister agree that one of the most important priorities must be to re-open the schools to avoid damaging children’s education and to allow other vital public sector workers such as firefighters, ambulance drivers, Highways Agency and NHS staff to get to work themselves?

“Would he commend the approach of headteachers like Charlie Clare in my constituency in my constituency who organised for staff, governors, and contractors to clear the ice and snow at Geoffrey Field Junior School themselves this weekend so that his school could reopen this morning?

“Does he not agree that teachers must meet the challenge of the severe weather conditions with the same determination as other key public sector workers?”

Last week Martin Salter contacted council leader Jo Lovelock to press for steps to be taken to re-open as many schools as possible this week. All Reading schools were contacted by the council on Thursday, encouraging them to make preparations to re-open after the necessary risk assessments had been concluded. Prior to his Commons intervention Mr Salter asked for an update from Geoffrey Field Junior Head Charlie Clare on the situation in Whitley.

Mr Clare wrote to Mr Salter saying:-

“The last thing Head teachers want to do is to close their schools.  Before doing so we carry out a rigorous risk assessment in regard to both children and adults.  We have a duty of care to both.  Is it possible and safe for children and adults to walk or  drive? Are the buses running? Are enough staff able to get in to enable a safe ratio of adults to children? Is the heating working and are the kitchens operable? 

“We are acutely aware of the necessity for schools to be open so that key workers don’t have child care issues which might prevent them from doing very important, sometimes life saving jobs. 

With all this in mind there has been a real determination in schools to open this Monday.  The Council have asked schools to prioritise their needs for gritting and clearing, and schools themselves have pulled out all the stops to clear snow from their premises, including employing private contractors to bulldoze away the snow, and bringing in governors, parents and staff with their spades.”

Mr Salter added:-

“I can understand why schools have to close for a couple of days in severe weather conditions but when it is clear that the country is going to be under a blanket of snow for a considerable time, alternative arrangements have to be made. Prolonged closures not only damage children’s education, but make it impossible for many other key public sector workers - whose efforts are vital in helping to save lives and keeping us all moving - from turning up to work themselves because of childcare problems. I am pleased that all mainstream Reading schools bar one are open this week, but disappointed that so many West Berkshire schools, even those close to main roads, still remain closed.”