School closure procedure explained

As the weather takes a wintery turn, the government explains its emergency school closure procedures. 

Primary and secondary schools across the Island can be closed for a variety of reasons including storm force winds, extreme rainfall, snow, wide spread ice and tidal floodings:

That's legal and administration manager Andrew Shipley from the Department of Education and Children - he co-ordinates with the Department of Infrastructure, MET office and Bus Vannin to decide a plan of action. 

Decisions are made early on in the morning and then distributed to the media to annouce as well as being posted to social media by 7.30am. 

If conditions deteriorate through the day - rolling school closures may happen, in which case parents are asked to keep an eye on the news and follow offical information.