Schools closed today: List of UK school closures after snow and ice causes disruption

A number of schools have confirmed they will be closed today (January 8) due to the snow and icy weather affecting the UK.

Here’s all you need to know about snow days, including the schools which will be closed today.

Is my school closed because of snow?

Schools have different ways of letting parents know of any updates, like their own apps or messaging services.

Sometimes decisions on closures can be made quite late if circumstances change.

The Department of Education advises parents to regularly check their email, school app or school social media accounts for any updates.

Who decides if schools should close?

Schools and other education settings have their own plans and policies on dealing with adverse weather conditions.

It’s up to schools to decide whether to open or close or based on their own risk assessment, taking local issues into account.

What should schools consider when deciding on closures?

Factors that could be considered when deciding whether a school should close include:

• Staffing levels

When travel disruption stops teachers getting to work, meaning staffing levels can’t be met.

• Safety conditions

The safety of school buildings are taken into account, for example the temperature in the building.

If schools do decide to close, they should consider temporarily moving to remote learning until it’s safe to reopen.

What if it’s unsafe to travel to school in the snow and ice?

If a parent believes it’s unsafe to travel, they should inform the school as soon as possible with details on why their child can’t attend (in line with the school's absence policy).

School closures today (Wednesday January 8)

Lancashire

Barrowford School, Pendle

Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School, Colne, Pendle (partial closure - school open for years 7, 10 and 11 only).

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Pendle

Little Hoole Primary School, South Ribble

Yorkshire

Admiral Long CE Primary School, Burnt Yates

Ravenscliffe High School and Sports College, Halifax

You can find out the status of your child’s school by checking your postcode on the Gov.uk website. We will be updating this page with any further school closures across the UK.