Winter Weather FAQs
During wintry weather, we do everything we can to make sure the College stays open and education can continue.
Will the College close if it snows?
It’s very unlikely that the College will close due to wintry weather. We have found that the vast majority of learners and staff have safely come into college when it has snowed in the past. This is because the College is in a central location and most of our learners live near the College and away from the type of routes that are worst affected by snow/ice, such as rural or hilly areas.
What if I don’t think it’s safe to travel?
If your particular route to college or circumstances make you feel like traveling is unsafe, you should not take the risk and stay home. Arrangements will be made for you to catch up on work.
When and how will I know if the College does to decide to close?
A notice is placed at the top of the College website (www.farn-ct.ac.uk) to inform learners, parents, and staff. The decision is normally made on the morning of the day in question once college staff have had time to check if forecasts are accurate, assessed the site, and had feedback from those in the area. If there is no notice on the website, this means the College is currently due to open as normal.
Why not just announce a closure when bad weather is forecast?
In our experience, forecasts are not very accurate and can be very localised. Closing unnecessarily would lose valuable days of teaching and alter exam arrangements, causing extra stress for everyone involved. We take guidance from the local authority where there are severe weather warnings in place and aim to communicate these as soon as is practical.
Why are some local schools deciding to close but colleges are not?
There are more factors that can cause a school to close, such as the teacher-pupil ratio, staff available to grit the site, and the number of first aiders available. The size of our college means we are more resilient to these factors and can open as usual in nearly all circumstances.
What if I have an assignment/exam due but can’t make it in to college?
Your tutor will be your point of contact for finding a solution to this, so please make sure you talk to them as soon as you think you will be unable to travel to college.
