Notts is still shivering in the icy grip of winter weather
MORE than 180 schools were closed, flights were cancelled and journeys to and from work took double the time for some people yesterday as they battled the snow and ice.
Between two and five centimetres of snow fell in Notts on Sunday night, meaning about two thirds of schools were forced to close for health and safety reasons.
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Children sledging at Wollaton Hall
However, a third of schools across Nottingham and Notts remained open, including Trinity school in Aspley.
Head teacher Mike McKeever said: "We have 1,145 students. When they can't come to school there is a 'multiplier' effect.
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"Parents can't get to work, children need supervising and I have been told there is a significant economic cost to a closure.
"When the staff arrived yesterday morning, much of the site had already been cleared and we could park safely. We banned the students from the snowy yards and although not everyone made it, more than 75 per cent of the students were at school."
But many working parents were searching for last minute child care yesterday morning.
Kayleigh Harrison, 26, of Carrington, praised her son's school, Claremont Primary, for staying open.
She said: "I heard that a few schools not far away from me are closed. But my son Jared's school is open which is great.
"Snow days are fun but if you're a working parent like me you either have to take time off work unpaid or find last minute childcare which can not only be difficult to find but also expensive, so either way you're losing money."
Jane Icke, 34, of Ilkeston, said she understood how it could be frustrating if schools closed but added that her child's school was on a hill, so safety had to come first.
She said: "My child goes to Charlotte Primary School in Ilkeston and it was closed yesterday. But I'm quite lucky because it hasn't stopped me going to work as my husband was at home.
"I think closing the school is the best thing when the weather is like this. The school is on a hill and it gets very dangerous for mums with young children in the ice".
Head teacher at Claremont, Elise Tiplady, said the school managed to stay open thanks to the hard work of the staff.
She said: "We have a dedicated and hard working team here who travel considerable distances to get to work."
Councillor David Mellen, portfolio holder for children's services at the city council, said: "I'd like to thank staff at Nottingham schools for making extra efforts to get into work today in the poor weather conditions."
What do you think about schools closing for snow? Email newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk
Click here to see your pictures of snowy scenes across Notts.
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