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| Snow shuts nearly 7,000 schools across the UK | Snow shuts nearly 7,000 schools across the UK |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter | By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter |
| Almost one in four schools across the UK have been shut by heavy snow, giving pupils in some areas a further day off. | Almost one in four schools across the UK have been shut by heavy snow, giving pupils in some areas a further day off. |
| In England, about a quarter of schools, some 4,000, are closed while in Scotland about 45% or 1,200 schools are shut - some for a third day. | |
| South-east and north-east England are particularly badly hit with hundreds of schools closed in Sussex, Kent, Essex, the Solent, and parts of Yorkshire. | South-east and north-east England are particularly badly hit with hundreds of schools closed in Sussex, Kent, Essex, the Solent, and parts of Yorkshire. |
| And with more freezing weather ahead, the closures are set to continue. | And with more freezing weather ahead, the closures are set to continue. |
| School closures had already affected many parts of Scotland - with half of schools closed there on Wednesday. On Thursday, with snow showers sweeping southwards, the closure rate is down to about 45% here/ | School closures had already affected many parts of Scotland - with half of schools closed there on Wednesday. On Thursday, with snow showers sweeping southwards, the closure rate is down to about 45% here/ |
| But fresh falls of snow overnight left hundreds more schools closed on Thursday morning in East and South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. | But fresh falls of snow overnight left hundreds more schools closed on Thursday morning in East and South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. |
| And with the Met Office warning of very heavy snow falls predicted for most parts of north-east England, even more could face closures on Friday. | And with the Met Office warning of very heavy snow falls predicted for most parts of north-east England, even more could face closures on Friday. |
| But there are also closures in the south-west of England, with a handful of schools shut for at least part of the day in Wiltshire and Somerset. | But there are also closures in the south-west of England, with a handful of schools shut for at least part of the day in Wiltshire and Somerset. |
| London schools have fared better in the weather, but with rail disruption in south London and the south-east staff have faced a struggle to get into work. | London schools have fared better in the weather, but with rail disruption in south London and the south-east staff have faced a struggle to get into work. |
| Safety | Safety |
| However, some schools in south-east London, such as in Greenwich, have also been forced to close by snow. | However, some schools in south-east London, such as in Greenwich, have also been forced to close by snow. |
| There have also been school closures in County Down in Northern Ireland and in parts of Wales - some due to frozen and burst pipes. | There have also been school closures in County Down in Northern Ireland and in parts of Wales - some due to frozen and burst pipes. |
| Head teachers are usually responsible for the decision to close a school. It is mainly based on whether pupils and staff can get to and from school buildings safely and whether there are enough staff to teach and supervise children. | Head teachers are usually responsible for the decision to close a school. It is mainly based on whether pupils and staff can get to and from school buildings safely and whether there are enough staff to teach and supervise children. |
| They also consider whether the school site is safe. | They also consider whether the school site is safe. |
| Websites and local radio stations have been passing on news of schools that have been shut by the bad weather, but most schools have their own systems for notifying parents and staff if their doors are staying closed. | Websites and local radio stations have been passing on news of schools that have been shut by the bad weather, but most schools have their own systems for notifying parents and staff if their doors are staying closed. |
| There have been calls for schools to make up lesson time lost to school closures. | |
| Anastasia de Vaal, from think-tank Civitas, is urging schools that close to extend their terms so pupils can make up for lost time. | |
| She told BBC News: "Internationally this is a system that happens after several consecutive days where the school is closed, and really the aim is to make sure that schools are able to do everything they can, and crucially are supported by their local authority local services to stay open." |