Sir, – It interests me that the majority of protests over school closures in this last bout of weather seem to be from people who are concerned about missing a day or so from work to look after their own children.
As a mother of four very grown up children, and indeed grown up grandchildren, I always assumed it was the responsibility (and very great pleasure) of my husband and myself to look after our, own children.
As a retired headteacher I always believed, and still do, that it is a school's responsibility (and very great pleasure) to guide and educate the pupils during their years at school. I did not consider at any time that our role was as child minders. (Although in my years we were often told by youngsters feeling rather ill in school that they had to come to school: "Because there is no one to look after me at home.")
During my many years of teaching I met superb, professional and caring teaching staff, and perhaps a few who were not in the career that used their skills to the best advantage, but I never met any single member of staff in any school who eagerly anticipated freezing, snowy weather so they could "have a day off". Indeed many teachers continued to struggle to their schools and spend time working while the pupils were at home.
I know we have wonderful, dedicated and very hard working teaching and ancillary staff in schools; I know also that they are frequently undervalued. I believe that making the decision to close a school is always for safety reasons and is always one of the hardest any headteacher and governors has to make. As a present headteacher said to me this week: "I am wrong if I do and wrong if I don't."
Pam Williams, Farnham