Back to school as thaw begins
HAYLING'S five schools all reopened today as some teachers worked hard to clear paths into the playgrounds and classrooms this morning before pupils arrived.
Both Mengham Infants and Juniors opened slightly later while Mill Rythe operated staggered departure times in the afternoon to help with pressures around the bottleneck drop-off point in Havant Road.
Council gritting lorries arrived in Palmerston Road after children had started lessons at Mengham Juniors and gritted both the road and pavements as a slow thaw began since the heaviest snow on Hayling for more than 40 years.
Head teacher Jean Filtness told the Islander: "Staff came in early today and worked hard to clear a path into the junior school and the Starfish Children's Centre.
"The staff were able to travel in and only a small minority of pupils were absent.
"Both the infants and junior schools took the joint decision to open slightly lighter at 9.30 to help parents who may have had difficulties getting here on time."
At Mill Rythe, staff were able to get to school, although some opted to travel by public transport instead of cars after a team of parents and governors spent Sunday clearing snow and ice from the paths and roads around the school.
Pat Locke, headmistress of the infants school said: "There were more than 20 parents and governors who volunteered to come in on Sunday.
"Luckily a council gritting lorry was parked up waiting for its next job and they managed to grab them and get them to clear the layby and road, which was a very big help this morning.
Mill Rythe Infants and Juniors did make an attempt to open after the winter whiteout last Tuesday evening.
Mrs Locke added: "We did put on a skeleton staff on Wednesday morning after the heavy snowfalls last week, in case parents were unable to make alternative child care arrangements at such short notice.
"But by 9.30am it was clear we were not needed so we sent all the staff who made it in home, and remained close – along with the other schools on the Island – for the rest of the week.
"Unfortunately there were a couple of mishaps with staff travelling home on Tuesday and coming in today, but there are still a lot of side roads that remain treacherous."
The Hayling College – which also opened last Wednesday to allow year 11 pupils to sit their mock GCSE exams – was also back to normal today (Monday).
Head teacher Max Bullough announced school would operate normally again from Tuesday and said pupils would be sitting more exams this week.
While weather forecasters are predicting more snowfalls on Tuesday evening and in the early hours of Wednesday, teachers and parents are keeping their fingers crossed that the worst of the winter weather is over, and no more days' education will be lost.
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Weather for Hayling
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -4 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
