Gibraltar NASUWT says it acknowledges the Department of Education’s communication to parents and carers regarding the continuation of normal school operations during the current severe weather warnings. While schools have worked to reassure families and manage circumstances, the union expresses “grave concern” at what it sees as the Department of Education’s “failure to provide clear, decisive, and system-wide contingency planning during periods of adverse weather.” The union says the Department’s messaging “remains unclear and inconsistent.”

A statement continued:

“Yesterday’s events once again exposed these serious shortcomings. In the absence of coherent central direction, schools were left to make ad hoc decisions, resulting in confusion and inconsistency. This was particularly evident at Westside School, where students who do not ordinarily remain on site at lunchtime were informed that they could not stay in school. This created avoidable uncertainty and distress for students, families, and staff alike. Such a lack of coordination risks undermining schools’ duty of care and potentially places the health and safety of children at risk, particularly during officially recognised severe weather warnings.

“Gibraltar NASUWT has approached the Minister for Education to relay our serious concerns regarding health and safety. We have made it unequivocally clear that the safety of both our members and the children in our care must be the overriding consideration. We are not satisfied with the Minister’s response, which centred on the need for schools to remain open because some parents may not have alternative childcare arrangements. Schools are educational institutions, not contingency childcare providers, and staffing and operational decisions cannot be justified on this basis when severe weather presents clear and foreseeable risks. We continue to remind HMGOG that teachers are not essential workers. 

“Furthermore, requiring students to travel to and from school in high winds and hazardous conditions exposes them to unnecessary danger. Similarly, expecting staff to attend work primarily to supervise pupils, while simultaneously acknowledging that absences linked to parental safety concerns will be authorised, highlights a troubling inconsistency in the Department’s approach. While authorised absences are welcome, they do not mitigate the risks faced by those required to attend, nor do they substitute for proactive, clearly communicated contingency planning issued in advance, rather than reactive decisions taken during the school day.

“In addition, Gibraltar NASUWT has received reports of accidents at work arising directly from water ingress in a number of schools during the current period of severe weather. Leaking roofs and flooding of internal areas, in corridors and classrooms have created hazardous conditions for both staff and students. These incidents further highlight the very real risks posed by keeping schools fully operational in adverse weather and highlight the urgent need for a precautionary, safety-led approach rather than one that downplays or reacts to emerging dangers.

“Our members remain fully committed to supporting students and maintaining high standards of education. However, that commitment cannot and will not come at the expense of health and safety. Gibraltar NASUWT reiterates that the wellbeing of staff and students must remain paramount. We therefore urgently call on the Department of Education and HMGOG to demonstrate decisive leadership by implementing clear, consistent, and safety-led protocols for severe weather events, ensuring that schools are not left to manage serious risks in isolation.”